


The Memories of Fallen Stars

by RamenKitsune



Category: Free!
Genre: Boy Love, Future Fish Au, M/M, Magic, More Sousuke cause I love him and things, Not as focused on swimming, Reincarnation, Rin's dad isn't dead so his dreams are different, Romance, Sexual tention, Somewhat sorta character death, Stressful Situations, splash free au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-03-26 08:14:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3843625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RamenKitsune/pseuds/RamenKitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Living in the modern world is already rough, but it's only harder when you have a secret to keep. The stories of love from the past and the present. *Editing is done (10/27/16)  and ready to be read! New chapters will be posted soon :)*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Bright Splash

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Hello and welcome to the crazy plot that has been plaguing my brain for the past three weeks, cutting off all other creative flow I have for any other dang story I had been thinking about before. That being said, I'm really excited to sit down and actually start working on it and I hope everyone enjoys it. Please forgive any misspellings and improper use of grammar I may or may not have in this, because I've writing this on a happy buzz so my flow goes better, though that means my fingers are a bit bumbling and I've been hitting the wrong letter a bit. (No one will how much work this last sentence took lol) Anyway, enjoy and comment or whatever. I love hearing peoples thoughts on my work :) Also cause I forgot, this is sort of a Future Fish AU with a touch of Splash Free AU thrown in. You'll see once I get this in motion, though it will be a few chapters before you really notice. Also, there may be character death, depending on how you want to classify it. Again a few chapters away (Like in chapter two or three) but just a heads up. Personally I don't want to classify it as character death, but I also don't want people to read it and get mad. I'm rambling now.... Okay, story, bye.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of a prologue then anything.

The warm Iwatobi summer had always been Makoto's favorite thing for as far back as he could remember, which was farther than he would ever admit to anyone. This was his ninth childhood, after all, but that didn’t matter now, not while he had his mother and father. He didn't know how he had ended up in Iwatobi, knowing in his last “life” he had been in a city very different from his beloved home he had now. He just knew it was fate because at the age of five he was sure without a doubt he knew the neighbor who seemed about the same age as him, in both his new age and real age. Haruka was what he was called now, and if Makoto thought back on it, he couldn't remember either of their names from before. The memories were still a little hazy, but they were moving back into his brain the older he became, and as he sat on the cool dark sand in the moonlight as cool ocean water moved over his toes, he allowed them to fill his brain.

Haru should be returning soon, he thought as he shook himself out of his stuper and stood and began to pat himself down where to get the sand off his shorts. His green eyes looked more knowledgeable than any normal twelve year olds should as he gazed out at the ocean, but he wasn't really twelve, was he. His hand moved up to his heart as a new memory decided to surface, as they did from time to time without his control, and he let out a soft gasp.

Makoto was no longer in Iwatobi, but in the very city he knew he had lived in before with a man who held a knife over him, blood dripping off the blade. Makoto realized he was much older in this memory verses the handful he had remembered before, easily in his thirty or forty. The person above him was talking, but the roar of his own heartbeat made the words hard to hear and to understand, though words like "demon" and "unnatural spawn" cut through the pain and roar. The blade moved to come down again, but someone was behind the man on Makoto and there was sound of rushing water before the man fell sideways, off of Makoto's broad form. He began to shake as a warm feeling surrounded him and he heard a name that he knew was his own but he, in this memory, couldn't make out. Soon blue eyes that were full of pain and worry came into view and Makoto reached up to touch the face they were on. A name passed over his lips, though he didn't know that name either, but he knew this person almost as well as he knew himself. Haru. It was always Haru, even if the name wasn't the same.

"Stay with me... Please, this can’t be the end." Haru pleaded as his hands pressed on the wound to stop the bleeding, though they both knew this was of no use. It never was. The warmth spread.  


"You'll find me again, wont you?" Makoto felt himself ask and cup Haru's face. Haru nodded against it and Makoto smiled. "Then it's alright. You know what to do with me once it's done, we’ll find each other." He felt water, tears if he thought about it, work over his fingers and he tried to smile. This was always the worse part. The memory always felt worse here as the flames engulfed him and then once again he was on the beach waiting for Haru like he had every full moon for the last seven years.

Makoto's finger brushed against a faint scar over his heart that he now knew how he got, but no matter how faded it was, when he and Haru swam at the local swim club Makoto could feel Haru staring at it. He needed to ask Haru about this one, and the few he remembered, but he was nervous to ask about them ever since the first time. The pain in those blue eyes felt similar to the memory of the knife, or worse, and he couldn't help but think it was a pain no one should have in their eyes, especially not Haru. That's when Haru explained what he was, and it seemed to Makoto that Haru had explained this many times before. Makoto often thought of that memory, one he lived in this life. He remembers not really believe Haru at first, even though he knew what Haru was at that time. Makoto just couldn't believe he was that special, that he could have lived many life times before this one. But then the memories came more often over the last two years and Makoto knew Haru had been telling the truth and he realized he should have known better. The pain in his eyes was too much to fake. Makoto often wondered what they were to each other in those lives, or how Haru was his age again if they weren't the same thing, but he never asked. Makoto had figured in time he'd figure it out and there was no use in hurting Haru over it.

Makoto sighed and moved his hand from his chest and his eyes scanned the water. "Haru hurry. Granny will be upset if you stay gone too long." Makoto’s voice was low, but he knew his best friend would hear it through the deep mystery of the water. The words had barely left his mouth, however, when a bright light filled the air and Makoto's gaze moved from the water to the sky. It was brighter than anything he could ever remember seeing in the night sky before and his heart felt a pull like someone strummed it when it hit the water hard and caused the calm sea to explode. "Haru!" He called, knowing somehow in him that it had been close to his friend and he moved to run into the surf. "Haruka!!" He called louder, more panic in his voice. He had never remembered a time that Haru had died before him, and even if he had, the thought of losing him in this life filled him with a cold fear. His eyes scanned the water for any sign of Haru and when a head popped out of the surface of the water, Makoto realized he hadn't been breathing and his knees almost gave out. He moved deeper into the water, despite the fear that crept over him. He wanted nothing more than to pull the male into his arms, fins and all, but he hesitated as he realized there was a boy in Haru’s arms whose skin gave off a light like nothing Makoto had ever seen.

XxXxXx

Makoto looked at the sleeping boy who had yet to wake up since Haru pulled him to shore, and Haru had only told him that the boy was what hit the water. The glow to his skin seemed to be fading to where it only looked like glitter covering his skin and had sparkling strands in his blonde hair. Haru had brought him home, Makoto at his heals, and Granny had made out the futon Makoto normally slept on for the boy after Haru told her bluntly, "He's living here now." Makoto wondered how the boy knew this, or why Granny had blindly agree to this, but Makoto had also accepted it blindly so it wasn't like it worried him.

Now Haru was upstairs properly drying off after both Makoto and Granny had complained enough, and Granny had went to bed knowing that Haru and Makoto were safe indoors, which left Makoto alone with the boy. Makoto made sure the boy was breathing, worrying if his chest stilled for a moment, and causously he reached out and touched the boy’s cheeks. He was warm, almost feverish, though there was no sweat on his skin. His cheeks were flushed, and Makoto guessed he was around Haru’s and his age or younger. He didn't look injured, even though he was what had fallen from above. Makoto wondered what he was really, since human’s weren’t known to fall from the sky.

"He's a star." Makoto jumped at Haru's voice, his hand snapping back from the boy's face as if he was caught doing something horrible. Haru moved to sit next to him, his eyes studying the boy before looking at Makoto. "It takes a bit for a star to fall like he did. We've never met one before, just heard of them." Haru explained and Makoto caught the way it was phrased and nodded. "Did you wish on him?" Haru asked, and Makoto felt as if Haru was wanting a certain answer, though Makoto didn't know what that answer was, so he answered honestly.  


"No, I didn't. It happened really fast and by the time I saw it -him-, he hit the water and I was too worried about you Haru." Makoto said, and Haru searched his eyes as if looking for a hint of a lie. They broke eye contact when the boy made a soft noise, and their complete attention moved to him. His eyes opened and Makoto was surprised by the beautiful pink eyes he saw. They didn't look human even a little to him, though it might have been the warm glow in them that was much like the glow that had left his skin.  


"Wh...Where am I?" The boy asked, and he looked up at them with fear those very same breath taking eyes. Makoto didn't know how to answer that, but, luckily, Haru took the lead.  


"You're on Earth. I'm Haruka and this is Makoto." Haru said, and Makoto realized it felt strange to him for Haru to do the talking. Haru normally didn't speak to others, leaving Makoto to do the introductions, but he guessed that was only with normal people. "What is your name?"  


The boy looked at each of them before he bit his lip shyly. "I...I'm Nagisa. How… How do I get home?" And both Nagisa and Makoto felt sad when Haru shook his head.  


"You can’t. I'm sorry, but stars can't go back once they fall." Haru said, and Makoto felt his heart tighten when tears started to form in Nagisa's eyes.  


"But it's going to be okay!" Makoto said, trying to keep the other from crying. "We'll take care of you now, and we’ll be friends." Nagisa looked at Makoto, and then moved to hug him tightly. Makoto returned the gesture, though his eyes went to Haru, who only smiled at him.


	2. The Prince's Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting up Rin and Sousuke's story plot. Character death (sorta)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the chapter where I mentioned there would be character death, but it's not really but it kinda is. I don't think it should turn you off the story is more of what I'm saying I guess.... It also takes place a few years after Nagisa falling... sort of... Anyway, review please.

The sun burned Rin's eyes as he was dragged into the thrown room, the chains clashing against themselves and the gawdy bangles he had been dressed in as he was pushed none to gently by his father's guards and he crashed to his knees. He could see several faces of different servants and slaves he knew if only from a distance. He knew he had angered the king, but as he realized the whole court along with the slaves were present, he knew his father was beyond reasoning with. He searched for the face he cared most about, but it was fruitless because it wasn’t amoung them. Rin couldn't help but hope he had gotten away, though he knew that couldn’t be the case, because he’d had already rescue him. Rin's attention was ripped away from his thoughts as he heard his name said and he looked up at his father. The man looked back at him with cold eyes, a look Rin had always associated with his father's face, and a face he hated more than any other. This man had been the cause for a large amount, if not all, of Rin’s suffering, and it seemed to only grow with his capture as he tried to be free of this damned kingdom. 

"You are here to face the punishment for treason against your father and king. Do you have anything to say?" His father said, and Rin spit at his feet as he tried to stand. The clothes were far too formal for any type of easy movement, the type of garments Rin was always forced to wear to formal occasions, nothing like what he wore when he was going to fight, but that didn't stop him from as he lunged at the man who sired him. Sadly the guards were faster and he was once more on the ground, and he could hear his sister cry. 

"Please father, he just..." Gou tried, but was silenced by the queen who wanted to keep at least one of her beloved children safe from the king's pride.

"Do what you want, bastard!" Rin croaked, reminding him it had been days if not weeks since he had spoke besides screaming his throat numb. The formal attire hid the large whipping gashes that littered his back from days of torture and captivity. "He’ll will rescue me from you!" There was a scattered amount of whispers, but Rin didn’t hear them as he felt dread wash through his body as his father smiled and snapped his fingers. Movement was caught out of the corner of his eye and he turned and paled as a large lump of blood covered person was all but dragged across from him. Rin didn't want to believe it, but the mass moved and Rin felt tears in his eyes as he met those teal eyes and saw that soft grin. "No." He whispered as he moved to go towards Sousuke and was allowed. "No! You can't!" Rin all but screamed at his father as he tried to scoop Sousuke into his arms, though his shackles hindered him and Sousuke's head fell onto his shoulder, smearing blood over the fine cloth.

" It's okay." Sousuke whispered against his neck. "It'll be okay I promise, I'll keep you safe." His voice sounded so weak and Rin trembled with how clammy his forehead felt against him. Rin could tell something was wrong with Sousuke's shoulder, the way Sousuke tried not to scream when Rin took his hands and pulled his arms towards him. Rin couldn't stop shaking as his eyes took in the abuse his best friend, his lover, had suffered at the command of his father. 

"Pull the prince away from the prisoner." The king ordered, and Rin felt arms on him again, and he fought them as much as he could, but his body was weak from starvation and was no challenge at all. "For you are the prince and heir of this kingdom, your punishment will be given to your whore." Rin shook his head, the tears now on his face despite the crowd. 

"No! NO! Please father, Please not him! I’ll do anything, just not him!" Rin pleaded, knowing it was fruitless but he was too desperate not to try. Sousuke had been and still was his everything, and he would give anything to save him, even if it meant being forever trapped in this damn castle with his father, as long as Sousuke was safe and alive. The guards holding him tightened as the executioner came into view, a look of pity on his face as he met Rin's eyes. Rin's knees buckled and he was only kept standing by the two men holding him up right. "NO! DON'T DO THIS! YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!"

Rin’s please were useless as Sousuke was pulled to a kneeling position, a cry of pain leaving him as they grabbed his right arm and pulled and Rin saw how Sousuke’s shoulder twisted in a gruesome way. The blade of the sword glimmered in the sun light as it was pulled free from the man's hip. Sousuke looked up at the blade then to Rin. Their eyes met and Rin's body was still, or as still as it could become with the constant trembling that had over taken him to his core. 

"We’ll meet again." Sousuke’s voice was almost as faint as it had been next to Rin’s ear but Rin heard him. Sousuke formed some sort of a smile that almost made Rin think this was some horrible nightmare. "I am fine with this. It will keep you safe and alive."

"Don't surrender to them! Fight them! Please!" Rin knew his request was impossible, Sousuke couldn't move his sword arm, much less fight, but he couldn't just surrender to this. "Don't leave me..." Rin's voice fell softer. "I don't want to live without you." Sousuke's smile faded and his own tears formed in his eyes, as if to say he knew this already, but he didn't have time to say anything in response as his head was forced down, breaking the eye contact. The blade was quick and Rin felt ice in his blood as Sousuke's head rolled to his feet. The guards dropped him then, and he shakily reached out to touch the still warm face before he screamed.

XxXx

Rin shot up, his throat raw from the scream that left him. His hands shook as he moved to cover his mouth and moved from his bed quickly. It had been all too real, and he could still feel the blood on his hands as he pulled them back to make sure they were clean. Sweat soaked his pajama's and chilled him more. He didn't know what he was doing, he just couldn't sit still. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder falling backwards onto his mattress again. Worried teal eyes looked down at him and it took Rin a moment to remember Sousuke roommate, though they had been in this room for over three months. It had been too real he wasn't thinking straight and he’d blame it on that as he grabbed Sousuke's hand and pulled him down onto his bed. The larger male grunted but gave in easily. Rin's arms wrapped around him tight, too tight to be more than a friendly hug really, but Rin didn't focus on that now. All that he could think was Sousuke was there and whole and alive. 

"It will be okay Rin..." Sousuke said, his large hand caressing Rin's back. The words were too simular and Rin's hold tightened. "It's okay Rin... Just a nightmare. That's all." Sousuke sounded tired, and Rin would feel bad for waking him like this later, but right then he couldn’t care less. Neither of them moved for quite some time, not until Rin's shaking stopped and his grip loosened, only then did Sousuke move, though it wasn't far, just to sit at Rin's side. It was silent between them, Sousuke not pushing for answers, having known Rin long enough to know he'd tell him soon. 

"I had a dream you died." Rin said, pulling his knees close. "No, not died.... You were murdered. Beheaded..." Without thought he ran his finger over his own throat. Sousuke's eyes widened a little as he studied Rin's face. "I...I don't remember much of it now... Just that you did it to...to protect me..." He admitted, facing Sousuke fully. "I'm sorry. I screamed like that."  


"That's alright, it just better not be an every night occurrence." Sousuke teased, trying to lighten the mood. Rin smiled, though he knew it didn't quite reach his eyes, he could tell by how Sousuke's smile faltered. "Anyway, we should go to sleep, joint practice tomorrow and everything. You’ll want to be well rested to race against Nanase." He carefully reached up and brushed some of the hair back so it was no longer in Rin’s face, and Rin felt himself holding back from leaning into the touch. Sousuke got up from the bed and moved to go up the top bunk as Rin laid back down. He looked up at the clock and saw it was four in the morning. He doubted he'd fall back to sleep, but he did want to try.

The silence drew out, and Rin was sure Sousuke fell back to sleep, it was always easy for him, when he heard a noise. 

"Rin... For what it's worth, I would gladly die for you if it kept you safe and alive." Sousuke said, and Rin felt his throat tighten because he knew somewhere deep down inside, Sousuke would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is more of Haru, Makoto, and Nagisa, more in high school.


	3. A Star's Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rei's feelings of his friends and a spat about conflicts of interests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is consuming me, and I'm hoping to get another chapter posted tonight because I'm going back to work soon. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.

Rei knew his friends weren't what one would classify as normal, they seemed to be rather closed off from others and rarely let people in their circle. It still amazed him that he had somehow gain their favor. There was Gou, or Kou, who was really the most normal of them save himself. She was beautiful not only in appearance but in personality. She always wanted to make sure her friends were taken care of, and often brought them homemade meals to balance their diets, and the stranges trait she had was she got a bit excited when it came to muscles, but Rei didn't find that as a fault but more as an adorable defining feature. Then there was Makoto, who was the most caring person he had ever met, who never wanted to make anyone feel bad, though sometimes Rei noticed how his eyes would grow distant and that smile that people often swooned over would vanish slowly as if he was remembering something that he didn't know he forgot. It puzzled Rei, and once he had asked Makoto about it, only to receive that beautiful smile and some lie that Rei cared too much about Makoto to call him on. The biggest mystery to Rei was Haruka, who was silent and calm, but his blue eyes expressed more emotion and knowledge than any seventeen year olds eye’s should, or so Rei thought. Haruka reminded Rei of a calm ocean just after a terrible storm, how you could stare at it and marvel it's beauty even though it could and had taken life from you. Haru had a different way of expressing himself as well, and where he didn’t talk much, his actions spoke the loudest to know that Haru liked Rei being not only on their team, but as a friend as well. Though there was only one person of his new group of friends that Rei felt drawn to, felt like he owed this new joy to personally, was Nagisa. Nagisa was always bright and smiling, always happy and very touchy, though there was something that he, Rei, knew somewhere in his heart of hearts was wrong. Nagisa wasn't as much as a mystery to Rei than a puzzle he was sure he was missing pieces too.

It was this thing, these missing pieces, that caused Rei to give up track in favor of joining a team he had no clue how to advance in. It was these pieces that made Rei long to be better just to make Nagisa smile, to be closer to him and to solve this puzzle. It was thes missing pieces that caused Rei's eyes to linger on the short blonde more than anyone else. Nagisa was captivating, much like a meteor shower or the star filled sky. He was intelligent and knowing, but also innocent and naive and Rei wanted to know how someone could be all this way all at once.

Once more he was reminded of this thing as they sat by the Samezuka pool size after the joint practice, their feet in the water. Haru was still swimming, which was something Rei wanted to watch, but his eyes kept wandering over to the blonde next to him who was talking about a story they were reading in class, and Rei wondered for the second time that day why it upset his friend so much. 

"And they said that wishing on stars can be dangerous! Can you believe that Mako-chan?" Nagisa exclaimed, hands going into the air in irritation. Makoto stifled a chuckle at the antic, but it wasn't well enough as Nagisa glared at him. "Mean!"

"Oh Nagisa, it's alright, it was just a story wrote to amuse people. No one takes truth from it." Makoto said soothingly, much like a mother would comfort a child when they were upset when someone said their imaginary friend wasn't real.

"Anyway Nagisa-kun, the message of the story isn't what you wish on, but that you should be careful what you wish for. Sometimes you get things in your mind that are just impossible." Rei piped, only to fall under the rare angry look from those mesmerizing pink eyes. It wasn't like Rei was above wishing on stars or throwing coins in a fountain, but he just didn't understand why Nagisa was taking this story to heart. 

"It's not like that with stars!" Nagisa insisted, crossing his arms defiantly. " They see your true heart's desire and will grant you that, not some morphed version of it like other things like genies or a mermaid’s scale would. You don't have to go into detail about it like you would if it was something else. Unicorns and phoenix feathers are the same way." Nagisa sounded like he wasn't talking about mythical made up creatures, and Rei pushed his glasses up as he was about to explain to Nagisa, again, how he was just looking to deep into a story when Sousuke spoke up.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, and Nagisa turned to face him, smiling as if he wasn't upset. 

"Oh you know... Say Rin-Rin is going on a trip and a genie appears before you and you wish he has a safe trip, he would, but when he returned home something bad would happen. Or you wish that Rin-Rin has a happy life on a mermaid scale, he would be happy, even if he was being boiled in oil. Stars are different. If you wish on a star, it knows you want Rin-Rin safe no matter where he is, or makes things that will make him truly happy happen around him so he is truly happy. You don't need to define every detail, understand?" Sousuke nodded, and his eyes moved out over the water of the pool as if he was thinking of something very important, and Rei thought he saw a glare aimed at Haruka, but he could have been wrong. 

"Nagisa-kun, it's not like any of those things are real." Rei said, his attention moving out across the water. "I mean stars are real, but they are just a huge ball of gas held together by gravity in space, nothing like what you're talking about. The idea of making wishes on them just comes from a time when humans had no knowledge of this. It's only still in practice as a way to instill hope in people that their goals can be accomplished. You are getting upset over nothing." He turned a smile towards the blonde, though it faltered when their eyes met. Rei wasn’t sure, but it looked like Nagisa’s eyes were tearing up.

"Nagisa." Haru’s firm voice called, and they broke eye contact in favor for Nagisa to face Haruka, who had swam up without Rei’s notice. They didn't speak, which was strange because Rei had only ever see Haru and Makoto "talk" like this, though maybe this wasn't the exact same. Every friend could ask "are you okay" with their eyes, Rei saw it all the time when he studied friendships.

"How about we don't talk about this anymore, agree to disagree?" Makoto spoke, looking at Rei as if to imply to not venture any more into the topic. Rei nodded. "Nagisa, is that okay?" Makoto asked and ran a hand over his back. Nagisa smiled, his eyes bright again and nodded.

"Sure Mako-chan. Anyway I'm hungry! How about we all go get food? There's a convenient store close, right Rin-Rin?" Nagisa asked as if the awkward sadness had never been in his eyes and Rei figured it was for the best, though it did bother him.

"Yeah." Rin said with a nod, "But I'm going to bale on this time. I slept like shit last night." He grinned when Makoto sputtered something about his gruff language. "Sousuke you want to go?"

"Yeah I think I will. You okay heading back on your own?" Sousuke asked, earning a nudge from Rin. 

"I'm not a kid." He snapped, and the rest laughed, and even Haru smiled. 

Makoto stood and shook the water off his feet before he reached down to help Haru out of the pool, then they lead the way to the locker rooms, though Rei noticed without meaning to that their grip lingered a bit longer than normal, and that Haru looked into Makoto's eyes as if asking something important, to which Makoto simply nodded and smiled. Nagisa stood next. 

"Come on Rei-chan, you're going to buy me ice cream after all." He said with a smile and Rei blushed. 

"I never agreed to any such thing!" He declared, scandalized, though deep down he knew he most likely would just to see Nagisa smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Sousuke.


	4. Firelight and Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru and Makoto talk about their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! After three days of work I came home and finished this chapter, and will post another one later tonight! Hope you enjoy.

Haru always found convent stores strange, though he did like them. He liked the sweet ice treats of this life time, the easy food that kept Makoto and himself from hunting. It was nice and safe and Haru never wanted to give it up. Haru knew Makoto liked it too as he looked over to see the taller boy with Nagisa and Rei, trying to stifle their loud debate over if Nagisa should buy all the sweets that the blond had in his basket. Haru knew Nagisa would end up with it all, he always did, and also knew Rei would pay for some as well, and Makoto’s pleading was pointless, but none the less adorable.

Haru turned his attention back to the chocolate selection and grabbed two of Makoto’s favorites and placed them in his basket before he moved to the back to grab his own favorite bottled tea, though he ran straight into a firm chest. He looked up and met teal eyes, and they did look angry. Haru couldn’t place what he had done to upset Sousuke, but he was sure Sousuke would inform him soon enough, and Haru couldn’t help but feel annoyed at being stopped. 

“Nanase.” Sousuke said, his voice low as he glanced over at the group Haru had be watched a moment before, then back at Haru. Haru nodded, blue eyes never wavering. “I don’t know what you’re playing at, but you better not hurt Rin, do you understand. He doesn’t need your…. Your type of help, so never give it to him.” There seemed to be a promise of a threat laced in Sousuke’s tone and Haru’s eyebrows rose, shocked. Haru would never purposely harm Rin, they were friends, and even though they didn’t always see eye to eye, Haru would only want good for Rin, not to mention he was bound to making sure only good happened. Sousuke gave no time for him to explain this, and even if he had, Makoto walked up behind Haru.

“Is everything okay?” Makoto asked, his eyes closed in a smile, but Haru could feel Makoto was upset, was protecting him. 

“Of course it is, right Nanase?” Sousuke asked, and Haru nodded. They kept eye contact a moment more before Sousuke moved down the aisle Haru had just left. Haru looked up at Makoto, who watched Sousuke walk away, and nudged him. 

“It’s okay.” Haru said, and Makoto relaxed almost visibly. “We were just talking.”

 

XxXx

Haru bit into his lip as he stared at the sizzling mackerel in front of him, though his eyes weren't really focused on the morsel. Instead he was thinking of events from the past, though it was a more recent past. Sometimes Haru wondered what it would be like to be a human, worrying about small things like university to go to next year and some small dream that would take up the term of one small life. He wondered how much it would have affected him if Sousuke had addressed him like he had today when they were alone in an aisle at the convenient store, how agressive Sousuke had been, Haru wondered if it would have unset him. Not that it didn't upset the swimmer in some ways, but Haru had see things, dealt with things much worse and way more terrifying than Yamazaki Sousuke could even dream to be. Sousuke wasn't a threat to him or any one that mattered to Haru, because if he was Haru would have already dealt with him. 

Haru heard foot falls behind him and soon Nagisa was by his side, a large smile on his face and Haru felt his own lips tilt up as well. 

"Haru-chan!!! I'm going to go spend the night with Rei-chan." The blond boy exclaimed, and Haru flicked his eyes over to him. "Oh don't worry so much!" Nagisa persisted, and Haru wondered when the little star had gotten so good at reading him. He was going to start rivaling Makoto if it kept up, or maybe Nagisa just took good guesses. Either way Haru felt himself sigh.

"Call Makoto when you get there." He said finally and he saw the smile on Nagisa's face. "And don't talk about stars again." The smile faultered.

"Oh Haru-chan, it's not like I took it personally. Rei-chan doesn't..." Haru looked at Nagisa again, and they felt an awkward silence before Nagisa tried again. "Okay, it hurt a little, but I know he didn't mean it. Rei-chan doesn't like to hurt people's feelings, and… And it’s not his fault he can’t believe in that stuff."

It bothered Haru a little that Nagisa seemed to feel deeper about Rei than he had other people, normal people. So far Nagisa hadn't had "normal" friends. Gou, Rin and Sousuke seemed like normal humans, but if Sousuke's threat meant anything, they were far from it. Haru did find it amusing how normal they seemed sometimes, Rin with his simple goal of joining the police force, Gou and her dream of being a reporter, though that dream was still in the works from the young girl, and Sousuke... Haru had no clue what Sousuke wanted, but had reason to believe he'd follow Rin, and Haru found it strangely familiar.

Rei, however, was as normal as one could get. He was smart, and a good person, Haru and Makoto probably would have befriended him even without Nagisa if Haru was really honest about it. He liked Rei, but for Nagisa to be so close.... It felt like a bad omen. Haru knew how to read sign with all he had learned by protecting himself and Makoto, and something about Rei seemed.... Haru couldn't put his finger on it, but it like the calm before the storm. Nagisa would have to learn though, he guessed, and hoped it would just be something as harmless as a small crush, though Haru knew the look in Nagisa's eyes when he talked to or about Rei Ryuuzaki and that it was already much much more. 

"I know he doesn't." Haru said finally. "But you still shouldn't..." Haru didn't want to sound too pushy and was slightly glad when the front door slid open and Makoto called his hello. Nagisa lingered for a heartbeat, a smile that Haru knew meant Nagisa knew Haru just cared on his face, then ran to greet Makoto.

"Mako-chan! You make sure Haru-chan isn't cold tonight." Nagisa teased, and Haru could only imagine the playful wink that followed such a sly comment. 

"Nagisa!" Makoto said, his voice rising in pitch to hint the blush that was most likely spreading to his chest. Nagisa laughed then yelled a goodbye. The shuffling of feet was heard and Haru felt Makoto's presences when he entered the room. "Where is he going?" Makoto asked and Haru flipped his food.

"Rei's." He answered as he peaked over at Makoto. He would never grow tired of looking at the taller boy, and it would never cease to make his heart beat faster when Makoto would notice and smile that droopy smile. Sometimes Haru did feel like a silly love struck teenager, but he didn't mind if it was for Makoto. 

"You're worried... You shouldn't be. Nagisa isn't as naive as he sometimes acts, I mean he's not much younger than us." Makoto said thoughtfully, a small chuckle following it and Haru knew he meant their real age. It was true, so Haru said nothing. "Though… I'm a little glad for the alone time with you. It's been some time since we it has been just you and I." And with that, Makoto's arms were around his hips and his head rested on Haru's shoulder with such ease and Haru realized just how true Makoto’s words were. Nagisa's teasing made Makoto uncomfortable, plus they didn't want Nagisa to feel uncomfortable or feel left out around them. "Last time we did this... We lived in Tokyo... The night before I..." Makoto's arms tightened around him and Haru pushed back. "It's so weird sometimes, restarting like this. Last time was the longest in a while we didn't have to, huh?"

"Yes. It was seventy years." Haru said, not really caring for the conversation but also knew that this was the last stage of Makoto really remembering it all. It just didn't feel good to be reminded how he failed his lover.

"I'm sorry I..." Makoto paused and then kissed Haru's neck. "I should have been more careful. And the time before that and so on. It's always me."

"It's fine." Haru said, biting his inner lip. Honestly it was better if one of them had to "die" it was Makoto. Makoto would just rise from his ashes a small crying baby with little red feathers down his arms until they sank behind the smooth pink skin. If Haruka were to die, Makoto would be alone for the rest of time, or until he found someone else. Haru didn't like to think of that option, but sometimes, before he used his magic to change into a younger form, he'd hold Makoto in his arms and wonder what Makoto would do if the tables were turned. "Sit down, dinner is almost finished." He said to banish the heavy atmosphere around them. Makoto smiled and placed one more kiss on his neck before pulling back. Haru caught his wrist and Makoto met his eyes before a smile spread across his facee. 

"I know. Me too." He said and then went to the table. Haru wondered how he had been so lucky to have met this man, though he didn't complain. Instead he made two plates and sat at the table across from him.

The meal was peaceful, much like everything was with Makoto. The brunette was talking about their friends, mainly how Nagisa and Rei were growing closer. "It's not that bad, ya know." He said, trying to ease Haru from his worries. Haru found it adorable and amazing how the male was always so in tune with him, how in tune they were with each other. It had always been this way from the very beginning. Back when the world was newer and still full of wonder and "their" kind. He remembered how Makoto would leave his wings free and Haru would touch those soft feathers. It was too dangerous for things like that now, though if anywhere was safe, Haru guessed it was Iwatobi. 

"I know it's not bad. I just..." Haru paused, not sure how to explain the nagging in his stomach. Makoto waited patiently for him, and part of Haru thought maybe Makoto felt it too. "I feel like something is wrong with Rei. Maybe not Rei, but around him... And Nagisa is blinded by his feelings for him to read his future." Haru finally said, the last part sounding a bit annoyed. Makoto nodded, chuckling a little.

"If there is something wrong, we'll figure it out before it's too late. We have practice at this type of thing." Makoto replied, though Haru felt Makoto's knee rub his own. "And Nagisa is very bright, he will know if something is so wrong he's in danger. We have to have faith in that too." Haru nodded, taking a bite to avoid words. It wasn't like they needed them most the time anyway. Makoto could tell he didn't want to talk about this anymore, and they wouldn't. "So what are we going to do about after graduation?" Makoto asked and Haru looked at him. This wasn't a better topic, but he guessed it was time to have it.

"I think I’m going to start a café here in Iwatobi." Haru said and Makoto's eyes widened. 

"Wow Haru-chan! That will be wonderful!" Makoto said, smiling. 

"Drop the -chan." Haru snapped, something that hadn't dropped off since regaining his own memories, and he blushed a little. "I… I just want to stay here."

"That's fine. I'd like to stay close to Mom and Dad as well, and the twins." Makoto smiled and Haru nodded. There was a silence then and Haru felt something unpleasant in it. He met Makoto's eyes and the boy sighed. "Also... I was thinking I'd become a fire fighter...." He finally said. Makoto knew Haru's reaction before it happened, but that didn't stop him from flinching when Haru's hand hit the table.

"Absolutely not." He decreed, and Makoto started to try to explain all the reason it would be okay. "No. No. It's stupid for you to do that." His voice wasn't a yell, but it was full of emotion that he normally didn't show.

"But Haru, it will be okay. It's like when you go to the ocean, I'd be in fire, I'm use to that. Well I use to be. And I can save people. And we are staying in Iwatobi, I doubt I'll be in too many fires and..." Makoto tried again.

"When I go to the ocean I'm fine, it's totally different." Haru said defiantly.

"It's not fine." Makoto pressed, and once more Haru was reminded of Makoto's fear. "There is an equal chance you could get attacked by a shark or worse. You're banished remember, if you're caught by a mermaid they could and most likely would kill you." Makoto's tone was serious, and Haru couldn't look at him anymore. "I know you can't stay away from the ocean for long after last time.... But I worry too... And I know I'd be okay in being a fire fighter."

Haru sighed, not sure how else to talk his lover out of this. Makoto was right, it wasn't fair to have this double standard against him, but it was so hard for Haru to agree.

"Fine..." He finally said, and they were silent again. It was one of their uncomfortable silences that Haru hated, one that their little bond meant nothing because Haru couldn't feel Makoto's thoughts or the other way. He sighed again and looked at Makoto who looked like he was a kicked puppy and Haru moved closer, placing a hand on top of Makoto's. "Fine... how about you just try it out. If you don't like it then don't... I just... If something happened to you I couldn't be there to rescue you..." Haru said as he leaned over to rest his head on Makoto's shoulder. "And if they got you, I don't know what I'd do Makoto. " He confessed. Makoto sighed as well. 

"I've looked into a few programs, and I wouldn't actually be going into burning buildings for some time. I also want to go to university close by." He said before he kissed the top of Haru's head. "And I know it's dangerous, but I'd be careful. I don't want to have you wait for me anymore," Haru looked up, ready to say he would wait for him though, and Makoto smiled. "I know you would." he said without having to hear the words. "But I know it hurts you."

"It's fine if it's for you." Haru said finally and then moved and captured Makoto's lips with his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Makoto... Thoughts? 
> 
> Next chapter is Nagisa!! Also a time skip!


	5. Gentle Breeze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagisa and Rei's last study session together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to finish this last night, but here it is early morning and I just finished up. Ugh. But it's here so I did better than I could have.

Nagisa flopped backwards onto Rei's bed, a sigh leaving him as he kept his eyes closed from the fall and carefully dug his fingered into the blanket as he thought of falling. Nagisa didn't have many fears, but falling had made its way onto that small, tiny list. Falling lead to change, even if it all turned good at the end, it was still scary to go through, but the star guessed flopping back onto a bed that wasn't his own didn't change much and he giggled a little before turning his head to the door. Rei was getting them snacks for their last study break of their high school careers, though Nagisa knew it would also be their last study break ever. Rei hadn't told him yet, but Gou had seen it, the acceptance letter to the university in the UK. Nagisa hated that he found out that way, through Gou and not Rei. Why hadn't Rei told him? Did he not trust him? Nagisa tried not to be angry though, knowing time was running out for the butterfly swimmer to fess up.

Nagisa wondered if maybe it was for the best. Haru was always worried about Rei finding out, and Nagisa guessed he had good reasons with the life he and Makoto had lived. They had trusted the wrong people before, Nagisa knew that, but Rei wasn’t like that at all. Nagisa felt a pull to Rei like he had no one else, pulled close to that smile he wore when he discovered a new things or when his theories were right, that way his cheeks would burn red and he'd cleverly push his glasses up to hide it when he was embarrassed, the way he would focus on something he found interesting, and how his eyes would sparkle when he saw or thought of something beautiful. Nagisa was pulled to it like he had been pulled to Earth, falling over every little quirk and imperfection just as helplessly. Though this falling didn't scare Nagisa as much, it was a slow fall with no sigh of stopping, though he guessed the ground was coming closer as their time grew to an end.

Nagisa was pulled from his thoughts as Rei came in with a tray of healthy snacks, a sight that made Nagisa whine.

"Oh come on Rei-chan, we should have cake!" He exclaimed, though he didn't really expect anything less than carrot sticks with ranch dipping, and even suspected the dipping sauce was light. Rei paid this no mind, having grown use to the blonde's antics. 

"Oh don't be ridiculous Nagisa-kun," He said, though it didn't hold any heat, "and no eating on my bed. It's not good for your digestive system to eat while lying down." Nagisa laughed and rolled to bury his face in Rei's pillow, though he tilted his head to look at Rei with one eye.

"But Rei-chan's bed is the most comfy." He pouted and smirked when Rei looked away, cheeks turning pink and then to red. The pillow smelt like Rei's shampoo and Nagisa liked it. It was something soft with a hint of flowers, it was what Nagisa imagined a butterfly smelling like.

"Stop teasing Nagisa-kun." Rei mumbled, pushing his glasses up. "We can play after we're done studying. Tomorrow is the last test after all." Rei was trying to play it off, but when he looked back at Nagisa, who hadn't bothered moving, his face colored once more and he looked away. "A..Anyway, I need to talk to you." This caught Nagisa's attention and he hoped he knew what it was about as he slipped off the bed and sat at the table.

"What about Rei-chan?" He asked. Rei joined him, and Nagisa reached over and grabbed a carrot and bit it noisily. 

"Well...I've been meaning to talk about this sooner, and it might be a little sudden but..." He pushed his glasses up again, and Nagisa found it cute. "Anyway... Sometimes people do things that are illogical and... Well..."

"Rei-chan I don't think you going overseas is illogical." Nagisa said, and Rei's nervous fidgeting calmed for a second. "Gou-chan saw your acceptance packet at practice the other day. I'm very proud of you Rei-chan!" Nagisa reached over and grabbed Rei's hand.

"Oh but that..." Rei stuttered, and Nagisa tilted his head to the side. "I wanted to tell you about that myself.... But that wasn't want I was talking about..." Nagisa blinked when Rei squeezed his hand in return. "Nagisa-kun... I think... I've always thought love was very illogical, but for some time, I think I realized it really truly is illogical... Wait don't say anything," He held up a finger when Nagisa opened his mouth to speak. If the blonde was honest, hearing Rei say those things hurt a bit, but he wouldn't show it to him. It wasn't Rei's fault that he had and still was falling. "It is illogical, the idea of wanting to stay with someone for the rest of time, and it is illogical some of the things you do when you are in love, but at the same time..." Rei paused again and cleared his throat. "If I'm going to have such illogical feelings it only makes sense they are with you." He blurted, and his face turned red as his glasses before pushed up the frames. 

Nagisa was confused. What was Rei trying to say exactly? Was he asking to use him as some sort of experiment or something about love? That seemed too cruel to be Rei's intentions, but Nagisa didn't get it, Rei didn't say he liked him or anything, just that they made sense. Nagisa agreed with that, but for different reasons.

"Rei-chan what are you saying?" He asked after a moment and Rei met his eyes.   
"Ah..." Rei said and bit his lip before he took a deep breath and began to talk once more. "Once when I was ten, I saw a falling star,” Nagisa felt his throat tighten, knowing without a doubt in his mind that Rei was unknowingly talking about him. "And I thought it was the most beautiful thing I would ever see. It lit the sky with beautiful purples and blues and greens and reds and it met into the ocean. It was truly a sight to be seen. One could even call it magical."  
"Rei you're still not making sense." Nagisa said, growing even more confused.  
"Just give me a moment." Rei said, blushing. "Anyway, for many years I felt that the star was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. But then I saw you Nagisa-kun." The blush grew darker. "You always light everything around you and always are so driven and excited... And I... I like you Nagisa-kun."

And there was the ground for him to finally hit after all this falling, and it was soft and sweet and wonderful. 

Nagisa couldn't speak, but he guessed the smile that now spread over his face was enough to express he was happy with this news because the nervousness washed off Rei's scarlet cheeks. Such a romantic sweet way to put everything, Nagisa thought, and he almost found it funny that he had debunked Rei seeing him the first time with meeting him the second. It was just too perfect really until a thought entered Nagisa's head.

"Rei-chan... You're going overseas... Why are you telling me this?" He asked, trying to be serious, but the smile wouldn't leave his face. Rei looked a little confused but then he understood. 

"I...Well... It might be selfish of me to ask this, but if you do feel the same,"

"I do Rei-chan. I've liked you for a long long time." Nagisa cut in, realizing he did need to say it back.

"Oh you do?" Rei sounded so relieved and happy, almost dreamy even, and Nagisa was reminded again they were holding hands still as Rei tightened his hold once again. "Well since you do... I would like you to wait for me. I know I'll be gone for a few years, but we can call and write and video chat. I know my request is selfish but..." Nagisa couldn't handle this anymore, letting Rei worry about something so obvious like him waiting. He leaned forward and kissed him.

"I'll wait however long, Rei-chan. Just promise you'll be faithful." He was teasing, he knew Rei would be, but he got the reaction he wanted as Rei's cheeks turned red again and he stuttered.

"O..O..Ofcourse I'll be faithful to you Nagisa-kun!" Nagisa giggled and Rei pushed his glasses up.

"I know you will." Nagisa said. "So I have a question." Rei looked at him and Nagisa pressed on. "That falling star, you said I was prettier than it, but did you make a wish on it?" Rei blushed but nodded all the same. "Really? What did you wish?!"

Rei looked a little nervous and embarrassed, though Nagisa didn't know why. Maybe becasue Rei was admitting to doing something so "childish" as wishing on a falling star, something he always said was silly and ridiculous. 

"I...I wished I could have a best friend." Rei said. "I didn't have one, and I saw others around me with them and I thought it would be nice."

Nagisa felt his heart pick up again. He remembered several wishes that night, but several of them were ungrantable, things like obtaining lots of money or someone being killed, selfish wishes, but he remembered one innocent wish of a little boy wanting a best friend. Nagisa remember feeling it before he fell and thought having a best friend would also be a nice thing, and then he fell down and down and down. To think it had came to this made Nagisa's heart glow, and he was glad lights were on so Rei wouldn't notice.

"It's the only time I wished on a star, and I guess you were right when you said stars grant wishes well, because you're my best friend." Rei said and Nagisa smiled and hugged Rei. 

"You're my best friend too Rei-chan." He said, and he was certain that nothing could ever, ever, go wrong again as long as he lived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the mushiest chapter I have ever written. I don't feel ashamed of it.
> 
> In other news, I'm leaving you with this for a few days cause I go back to work tonight. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up by Thursday night, but I'll have it up no later than Friday morning.
> 
> Next chapter: Rin and Sousuke are cops.


	6. Burlap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin and Sousuke are cops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised this by Friday, and here it is Tuesday, but I had very important things come up. I hope you can forgive me!!!

Sousuke stifled the sixth yawn of the morning as he sat in the passenger seat of the patrol car he and Rin were assigned to. He was never really a morning person, and even though it was now nine fifteen, he still wasn't awake enough for the day. They had been patrolling for about an hour, and it was dull due to the fact that nothing ever happened in Iwatobi besides some occasional spats here and there. It was a rather calm town, something Sousuke enjoyed most the time, just not when they were assigned to patrol. 

"Geez Sousuke." Rin said, glancing over at him. "How about we stop at Haru's and get you a coffee, yeah? You're boring the hell out of me."

"Oh you just want some of Nanase's cooking so you can’t blame that on me." Sousuke snapped back, though he smiled. "But coffee sounds good. And maybe some breakfast in general."

"You skipped breakfast again? Sousuke you need to take better care of yourself." Rin scolded. "But I'll get us something. Haru always takes care of us, right?" They both chuckled. Sousuke wasn't as close to Haru as Rin was, but he tried to be civil most of the time. It wasn't like Rin knew Haru wasn't human, and Sousuke would never mention such a thing to the red head, mostly because he doubt Rin would believe him, but also because he'd have to explain himself as well and he wasn't ready for that, though it wasn't like Rin would believe that either. 

They were soon on the curb in front of Haru’s café, the elegant sign in the shape of a fish with the words “Future Fish” wobbled from it’s placement on the window cover. Rin unbuckled his seatbelt and was out of the car quickly.

"Also get me a coke for later." Sousuke added and Rin chuckled as he parked.

"Can do." Rin said then left his friend alone in the squad car. Sousuke watched the red head until he was out of sight and sighed. Sometimes he wished he wasn't so damn struck by Rin, or more he wished that his feelings were returned, but life was how it was and Sousuke was use to it by now. There had been that part of him that thought maybe things would change over the years, when Rin had that nightmare back in high school, but nothing had, and Sousuke didn't want to ruin their friendship on some mere hunch. It was better to by Rin's side than not have him at all.

Sousuke sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, planning on leaving them shut a bit longer than that when a strange sound came from the driver's seat of the car. Sousuke spotted Rin's phone against the canvas with the screen lit up with an unmarked number. Sousuke looked out the window and didn't see Rin and sighed once again before reaching over and answering the phone.

"Hello." He said, not elaborating on who he was. 

"Oh, um, hello." It was a woman's voice and Sousuke frowned. "Is this Matsuoka Rin's number?" She seemed nervous and Sousuke was tempted to say no. 

"Yes it is. I'm his co-worker Yama-..." He started to explain when the girl gasped. 

"Sousuke-kun! I thought your voice sounded familiar!" The woman said. Sousuke had no clue who he was speaking to, and the person on the other line seemed to tell when he gave no indication who she was either. "It's me, Kou." 

"Kou, well well well, you’ve finally came out of hiding?” He said in a playful manor. “Rin is going to be pissed I’m talking to you before he got to.”

"Well I did call his phone. And someone sounded a little jealous." Sousuke felt himself blush as Gou began to laugh. "Where is my brother anyway?"

"Well he's getting us breakfast. He shouldn't be long. Where have you been?" He was sure he sounded almost as over protective as Rin was going to sound, but he didn't care. "It's been, what, two years since you've contacted Rin? He's going to be furious." He found himself smiling as he heard Gou's nervous laughter.

"Yeah, almost three... But I was busy and didn't always have a phone. But that's why I'm calling him! I'm in Iwatobi now and I want to meet up with him tonight for dinner. I have something I want to talk to him about, why I've been off the grid." Gou explained and Sousuke grew curious about what she would need to talk to him about. A sudden dread that maybe Gou was in trouble washed over him and once more he felt himself grow protective. He cared for Gou deeply, she might as well been his little sister as well for how much time he spent at the Matsuoka home while growing up. 

"Ya know if something is wrong..." Sousuke started, knowing Gou would understand he only meant well. Gou was someone he wanted to protect, not that she needed it, but it was always good to remind her she could ask.

"Oh Sousuke-kun.." She said fondly. "Everything is fine, I promise." It seemed as though she was about to say something more when there was a sound in the background. "Oh damn it." She muttered and Sousuke chuckled at how much she sounded like Rin. "Tell Rin I'll call him later, I've got to deal with something. Thanks! Bye!" and just like that, the line was dead. Sousuke was surprised and curious what could have happened to make Gou just hang up like that, but was distracted when the car door opened. 

"Who are you talking to?" Rin asked as he slid into the car and Sousuke realized he was still holding the phone to his ear. 

"Your sister." He answered, and Sousuke was sure he heard Rin's neck pop with how fast his head whipped around to look at him. "You left your phone in the car, by the way." And Rin snatched the phone away from him.

"Hello? Gou?" He said then pulled it down, and anger passed over his face as he looked at Sousuke. "Damn it Sousuke! That's not funny!"

"It really was Gou, I swear, but she had to go. You can see the number in your past calls. I wouldn't joke about that. She said she'll call you back." Sousuke defended; a tad annoyed that Rin had such little faith in him. "I didn't make you leave your phone anyway." He added as he took a bag from Rin's lap. Rin stil looked peeved l, but it seemed less at him and more at the situation. Sousuke felt bad that Rin had missed talking to Gou, however, and he hoped she’d call back soon. 

They ate in silence and once they were both done, Rin started the car and they continued their patrol.

XxXxXx

It was five hours later and Gou had yet to call back. 

Sousuke did feel bad that Rin had missed talking to Gou, but he felt less sorry about it the more it made Rin's mood soured. Rin was damn near impossible when he was like this, and Sousuke was the only outlet to this anger.

"Why did you get to talk to her? I'm her brother." He snapped randomly as they drove around again. Sousuke didn't bother to remind the red head that she had called Rin, he just was stupid and forgot his phone. It really seemed pointless to bring that point up again. "Did she at least sound okay?" Rin asked and Sousuke sighed.

"From what I could tell, she sounded well and good. She said she'd call you and that she's in town, other than that, she didn't tell me anything. I barely recognized her voice." Sousuke said for the sixth time that day. It wasn't like Sousuke didn't under Rin's feelings on this, he had been worried sick about Gou, but he didn't like that he was taking this out on him. It wasn't his fault.

"She said she'll call..." He muttered only to sneer after. "Why hasn't she called at all all this time?! Doesn't she know how worried Mom and Dad were? How worried I was?! It's bad enough I..." Rin's voice died awkwardly and Sousuke looked at him. He was about to ask what was bad enough that Rin was dealing with when their radio made a noise. 

"Attention all units, we have a call about a robbery near XX, can any unit respond?" The voice said, and Sousuke looked at a street sign and saw they were on that street. Rin nodded once they made eye contact and Sousuke started to respond that they would respond as Rin threw on the lights and sped off.

XxXxXx

Sousuke cursed as he watched Rin round a corner several feet ahead of him, chasing one of the thieves. He had a strange feeling about these thieves, how they were familiar in a way, and he didn’t like it. He also didn't like how he wasn't close enough to protect Rin if one of them pulled a weapon. Sousuke barely saw Rin round a corner in time to follow after him, but then he lost sight completely. He felt something nag at him and he picked up the pace. He was almost to the turn when he heard Rin yell and he panicked. There was the sound of a scuffle and as Sousuke round the turn, he saw a brown burlap bag go over the top of Rin's head and saw his friend get shoved into a trunk of a car.

"Freeze!!" Sousuke yelled, pulling his gun, though he knew he couldn't fire. It was too risky with Rin out of site. The thief looked up and then waved. 

"Bye bye senpai!" The man said, and Sousuke frowned as the man darted into the car and it sped off. Sousuke cased after it, but it was pointless and soon he lost sight of it. He was about to call it in when a hand was placed over his and he looked at the person and was once again surprised. 

"I'm sorry Yamazaki-senpai." Nitori said before a bag was over his head as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Rin and Sousuke are kidnapped.
> 
> Yup I really am a jerk who post late and leaves a cliff hanger like this.


	7. Blank Spaces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin is kidnapped and also more Prince Rin memories are surfaced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you think this chapter is a happy chapter, I apologize. I'm using a page out of George R.R. Martin's author's guide to better storytelling, which may or may not be a real thing. Also that character death that's not character death but sorta is tag is once more relevant.

It was the third day, and Rin’s cell smelt of decay and the guards wore cloth over their nose and mouths in a vain effort to block out the smell. Across from the prince was the grotesque misshapen head with a face that no longer looked familiar, the skin grey instead of the warm sun colored tone that was there just four days ago, the lips were pulled tight in a grim, sick form of a smile that showed teeth and there was a strange ooze that seeped down the chin that was always so strong. Then there were the eyes, which had always been beautiful before to Rin, were now milky and withdrawn into the skull. 

It didn't hurt Rin to see it anymore, nothing hurt Rin anymore. He had gone numb to all but the stench because it didn't matter. Nothing did. He lost the only thing important enough to keep going forward and was forced to watch it slowly wither before him.

He felt like maybe he should cry more. The first day he was beyond hysterical. He cried and fought as they tore Sousuke's cold head away, his screams scaring those who'd been ordered to watch the mockery of justice his father displayed. Rin didn't hear the mutters of them saying he was insane, and even if he had, he wouldn’t have cared. If Rin had the strength, or even a weapon, he would have killed his father, and he even tried to take a sword from the man who dared to pull Sousuke away from his shaking unstable hands, but he was knocked into the floor, into the pooling blood that continued to spread from the body that Rin knew so well. It covered his face and hands and Rin sobbed wordlessly without the will to pull himself up. What was the point? They pulled him to his feet, and Rin couldn't keep his knees from buckling. He saw through his tears the king, because he was no father to him, stand and order the prince taken back to his cell and then he was drug away. His hands were chained above him, and his feet barely touched the floor, and there had was left, and placed across the room was the head, its eyes already losing their color. 

Rin cried until his body could no longer keep itself going, and he woke the second day crying, softly whispering for Sousuke, begging to any divine power to fix this horror he was in. But death was absolute, and by the end of the second night, the smell reached Rin, and his voice dried in his throat. 

XxXxXx

"Let me out!" Rin screamed as he kicked the hood of the trunk for another time, the closed in space making his lungs feel tight and the strange visions that flickered in his moments of silence made him panic more. Not many people knew Rin was claustrophobic, and he didn't really care if his kidnapper found out at this point, he just couldn't breathe. He was so angry at himself for getting caught like this, by someone he was sure he was about to capture himself. It had happened all so quickly, and even now Rin had no clue how the man he knew without a doubt he had grabbed somehow ended up behind him, and then he was in the trunk and heard Sousuke yell. The only saving grace to Rin was that he was certain that his best friend was safe, because he was sure he didn't hear them hit anyone.

There was a speaker to the car's radio next to his head, and it was playing music Rin knew to be from Europe, even knew the artist, and if he wasn't kidnapped by the driver, might even complement the taste. But as it was, he didn't want to hear another note from her, and in a attempt to get his captors attention, he used his bound hands, something he was also still confused on how and when that happened, and smashed in the speaker, rendering it useless. He had long ago smashed the one near his feet, so with the final act of destruction, the car fell silent. 

"Let me out you fucking piece of shit!" Rin yelled, and was slightly relieved when he felt the vehicle slow and then stop all together. It was almost completely silent for a minute, save for the sound of a door opening and closing as the driver got out, and even though Rin couldn't see, he was ready to strike as soon as the trunk opened. 

"Senpai broke my speakers!" A voice whined, echoing off what Rin could only guess was off the garage walls. Rin paused at the voice, he knew it and it made him faulter with confusion. His confusion was short lived as panic began to take him again and he kicked the trunk again.

"You put my brother in your trunk?!" the next voice was almost unheard through the noise Rin made, but he did hear it and his panic grew even more. Gou was also captured? Was that why she had ended the call with Sousuke? So much was happening all at once and not a damn lick of it was making sense to him. 

"I had to; he tried to get me and Nitori-sempai." His captor, which Rin now was completely sure was Momo, said and if Rin wasn't about to hyperventilate, could have heard the pout in his voice. He heard feet shuffle and the sound of keys giggle.

"Rin, it's me, Gou, don't attack. I'm gonna get you out alright?" her voice was so calm, and it seemed so wrong in comparison to everything else going on around him. He heard the lock release and felt the change of the air around him and he reached up blindly with both hands and groped. He felt a soft tender hand touch his and he knew without a doubt in some mystic between sibilings it was his sister. "I'm going to take that bag off now." She explained calmly and then did just that. The light was blinding at first, but then his sister's face, all soft and gorgeous, came into view and Rin cried as he pulled her close to him.

XxXxXx

The ground met the prince as the cuffs were unlatched. The air was a little fresher, the head had been taken away earlier that day, but Rin's eyes still locked to the spot it had been. He knew it was night, the torch light from outside his cell flickered as it tried to move into the dark cell. Rin didn't care what day it was, didn't care that there was a person over him trying desperately to pull him to his feet, he didn't care about anything at all.

"Come on, get up, we have to go." A familiar voice pleaded, and Rin's eyes finally moved to really look at the person. They were tall, someone who could have easily picked him up off the ground, but chose not to. Rin couldn't make out any other details due to the lack of light, and he really didn't care. He knew who this person was, and he just wanted him and the one he knew was also close by to leave. Weakly he pushed the man's hand, such a big hand, and Rin just didn't have the strength. "Please Rin." the voice was desperate. This person was his friend, Rin knew that, but he didn't want him around.

"Just..." Rin spoke, his voice sore from lack of water and use, "Just go... away." Again he tried to push the hand off him, and this time it was more successful, though somehow Rin knew he hadn't done anything, it was the man's own accord. The man stood up straighter, and the light hit him better and Rin saw green droopy eyes and a strong jaw and sandy hair that fell carelessly into the man's face. Makoto was a merchant, someone who had only been in the palace for a few weeks, and he had promised to help him and Sousuke get to the ocean. He remembered the stories Makoto told him, how the sand met and endless water, how the breeze was cool and the little shells that they'd find in the sand. He remembered the way Sousuke's eyes would sparkle, and Rin knew his did too, at these stories. That was before Sousuke was stolen from him, and now Rin couldn’t care less of fish and boats, because he didn't want to see them alone.

"Rin... I can't just leave you here. If we had known they had..." There was a silence.

Rin wanted to agree and blame Makoto for this. If Makoto and his body guard had just waited closer to the palace, if he had never heard of the ocean from this man, he would still have Sousuke. Rin wanted to blame Makoto and blame his father, his sister, and everyone for Sousuke's death. He wanted to hate everyone, but he knew it was only his own fault. He said he'd endure any torture for Sousuke, but at the first chance to try and flee, Rin was the one to posed the idea. He knew Sousuke would agree, he knew his lover would deny him nothing, and yet he proposed the most dangerous and foolish thing he could ever request, and didn't think or care of the consequence of failure. 

Rin was the reason Sousuke was dead. If Rin had never bothered Sousuke all those years ago, then he'd been safe for all his life, he could have grown old, had a family, been happy and died old. But Rin was selfish and drug him into the torture his father put him through, Rin kept him close because he wanted him. He was no better than his father.

"Just go away." Rin repeated, and he saw Makoto's frown before his head became too heavy and he slumped forward. He felt the air as the man left, and for a moment thought that he had gotten his way, but then he felt another presence. No there was three there, Makoto and his body guard, but also another, and Rin looked up, for a moment his heart filled with a strange hope, but he knew it wasn't possible, and it only hurt a little when he only saw two men. 

"Haru we have to get him out..." Makoto said softly, desperate as he looked out the door. "It won't be long..." Haru met Rin's eyes and sighed before turning to Makoto. They didn't speak as their eyes met, but Rin knew that somehow they decided something without a word. It was clear in the way Makoto's eyes widened and he looked like he was about to say something, but Haru's eyes softened and then Makoto's whole body seemed to understand. Makoto nodded. "If that is the best..." and then pulled up his sleeve. Haru nodded and his hand rested on Makoto's bare skin. He ran it up Makoto's arm and dipped back to his back once he was touching his shoulder. It felt too intimate to watch, but Rin couldn't look away either. That presence he knew so well still engulfed him, and even though Rin couldn't figure out where it was coming from, he knew these two were involved. Haru's hand came back down and in his fingers was a long single red feather. The color was so defined, and Rin was sure that if the torch was gone, the room could be lit by the feather alone.

XxXxXx  
Gou kept her hand in her brother's, and Rin was happy for that. Nothing made sense at the moment, and even as Gou explained where she had been and where they were now things got even more confusing.  
"I know it's really hard to believe," Gou said as she lead him down a hall that was covered in pictures that all looked old and held things that could only have been photo shopped into them. "But it's true. Magical creatures are real. 

“There are three different organizations, none of them working together to gather information on them. This one wants to learn more about these beings while leaving them unharmed. We're known as MIP, and that stands for Magical Information and Protection. This organization also finds magical objects and places them under protection, like the gold beetle Momo-kun and Aii-kun were taking. We, the three of us, join the organization at different times. I joined while I was backpacking across Europe. I found a fairy by accident and aided it. It was so weird." She giggled here, and Rin wanted to think she was crazy, but something deep down in him knew what she said was true.

"It felt like I was dreaming, seeing all those fairies dancing around and aiding the poor one I found with its broken wing. But MIP found me and told me the same spill I just told you and I've been working with them ever since. I found out Momo-kun and Aii-kun work here not that long ago. I was really surprised, but given that Momo is a skin shifter and Aii's family being born into this, it really made sense once I found all that out. So many of our friends are magical creatures, Rin. It's really crazy! But let's go sit down, I'll get us some tea and Aii should have Sousuke-kun here soon." And with that she lead him to a little room that reminded Rin of his own living room.

"Are you going to be living here?" Rin asked, looking around the little room before sitting on the nice sofa. He could see the little kitchenette and watched Gou start the water for tea. She nodded, then paused. 

"But only until I find an apartment. I'm planning on staying in Iwatobi for a while. There are so many people I have to talk to. You remember Shigino Kisumi right? He's a kitsune. I could hardly believe it when I found out." Gou said, and Rin couldn’t help thing think that made sense. Those sly smiles that seemed to know more than the owner let on. He had often called Kisumi a fox when they were in school, teasing him of course. 

"Kisumi works for Haru now..." Rin said and paused as Gou looked a little surprised and also interested. "I know, right. Haru couldn't stand Kisumi in middle school, and his distain barely changed in high school. I guess Kisumi rubbed off on him. Also Haru and Makoto became a thing."

"How are Haru and Makoto? I have to talk to them too..." She paused as her kettle started making noise and she made two cups of tea and brought them over and sat across from her brother. 

"Talk to them as old friends?" Rin asked hopefully, but knew it was more. 

She shrugged a little."Yes and no.... I have some things to ask them... I don't know for certain about Haru, I mean all signs I know point to him being a merman but..." She stood again, politely excused herself for a second. Rin watched her leave the little apartment and it was a few minutes before she returned, her arms full of different sized tubes that Rin could only guess held papers. Gou took her seat across from him again and then grabbed a tube and looked at the label. "Okay so remember how Haru is an amazing artist?" She started, and Rin nodded, wanting her to continue. "And you know his little signature he always places in the corner, right?" Again Rin nodded. He had seen it just today on the logo of Haru's little cafe. "Take a look at this." She pulled out a piece of paper from the tube, it color was very yellow and it looked very fragile as she spread it out. On the page is faded ink was a drawing of a man bent over picking a flower, and almost instantly Rin reconized the man as Makoto. Gou must have been watching him because she giggled at his eyes widened and he sat up straight. "That was my reaction too." She said when Rin looked up at her. 

"You got to be shitting me. Both of them?" Rin asked, and Gou nodded.

"See Haru's mark here. All of these have them, and all of them except one have Makoto in them." She was careful as she rolled the current picture up and returned it to its holder. She shifted around with the tubes again and then pulled one that Rin saw was labeled "Prince", and for some reason Rin already knew what was in there. "This one is another drawing I'm certain Haru did, but it's also one I'm most curious about. I've done my research on the lore of this one personally, and it's kind of why I returned home..." She explained as she pulled the drawing out. It wasn't a paper but a piece of cloth, and it too looked very aged, but strangely well preserved as well. Gou was careful as she rolled it out and Rin felt his heart pull as two figures came into view on it. They both were lying lazily on pillows, both smiling, and they were looking at each other and it was clear this wasn't the first time they had been like this. One was dressed more elegantly, though they both were elebrate, a hooka between them and the prince held the mouth piece. Their eyes screamed a love and bond that Rin could feel even now through the strangely dyed cloth and slowly he reached out and ran a finger not over the one who looked too much like himself, but the one who looked too much like his best friend.

"Wow..." He whispered, realizing that all his strange dreams he'd been having since his last year of high school were all leading to this moment where he would know the truth, know these were momeries trapped in his soul that wanted him to remember this love.

"Yeah, that's what I said too." Gou said, and then touched Rin's hand. "They have a story about them, the two in this picture. I don't know how true it is, but from what I'm told this one here," Gou pointed to the one who looked like Rin, "was the prince of the kingdom, and that one," Her fingers motioned to Sousuke, "was his slave, though many also say it was the prince's lover. The two were imprisoned for trying to over throw the kingdom and the king executed them."

Rin felt anger bubble into his throat at the end of the story. He pulled his hand back and looked at Gou, his eyes very serious. 

"That wasn't why they were murdered." He said, but also jumped when his own words seemed to be amplified by a deeper voice. His eyes moved from his sister's face to the figure he hadn't noticed behind her, and Gou turned as well. Rin studied Sousuke's face as those teal eyes took in the art on the table, and Rin felt his anger double as he realized Sousuke knew about the two, the prince and his lover, and never said a word about it.

"Sousuke-kun!" Gou said, leaving her seat and walking around to hug the man who was much taller than her. Sousuke returned the embrace, though his eyes stayed on the art for a moment more before meeting Rin's eyes. There was a strange sadness there, and Rin wanted to yell at him for it, because he had kept this secret from him and he had no right ot be sad over it. 

"Its nice to see you too Gou." Sousuke said as he turned his complete attention to Gou. "Could have been a little nicer though if Momo hadn’t kidnapped Rin. I almost shot Aii." Gou huffed, her hands going to her hips. 

"It wasn't my idea for them to do that!" She said, scandalized. "I was going to go get you two myself, but then Momo comes back with Rin in his trunk. I was furious.... But I also have to go talk to Aii. You two stay here, yeah." She asked and Sousuke nodded, and when Gou's eyes landed on Rin, he nodded too. "Okay I'll be back soon." She said and then left. 

Once alone, they were silent, neither knowing what to say really. Sousuke, surprisingly, was the one to break the silence.

"You are so stupid." He said, moving to sit next to Rin on the couch. "You are careless and stupid. You realize you could have died today, don't you?" And when their eyes met, Rin felt a pinch of guilt at the sadness he saw there. "I was terrified Rin. You need to quit just bursting ahead recklessly. I'm your partner, remember."

"I know that." Rin snapped, turning to look away from the living Sousuke to the drawing of the dead one on the table. It was eerie how real it was now, all those good dreams and terrible nightmares. "I know you're my partner, alright, but you're also my best friend and I'd rather take the bullet than see you take it." And for a moment a vision of a beaten Sousuke being forced to his knees flashed behind Rin's eyes and he gripped his cup that he had forgotten he was holding a little tighter. "You know about them." It was a statement, and Rin honestly felt like he didn't need to say it, because he knew, but also wanted to hear Sousuke confess to it.

"Yeah." Sousuke answered, and Rin didn't have to look to know Sousuke was also looking at the piece of art. "It's why I haven't really ever liked Nanase." Sousuke confessed and Rin's eyes widened. How much longer had Sousuke known about this, the prince and the slave? Sousuke had always had some hesitance towards Haru, even when they were in middle school. 

"How..." Rin started, turning to look at Sousuke, but his friend was already starting to answer.

"Our first year in middle school was when I had the first dream. My mother, you see, does magic. She sensed something about me, said it was something in my soul, a magic kinda, and gave me this weird drink. I never really believed in her magic until then, but then the dreams. Strange, huh." Sousuke looked from the table to a wall just behind Rin. "They started off innocent really. They," His hand motioned to the table, "were childhood friends at first, like us. I always thought it nice to know we were friends in our past lives, always thought you'd find it romantic." Sousuke chuckled and Rin, despite himself, followed suit and nudged Sousuke for being so blunt about him. "It wasn't until we were in high school they changed. After I...." Sousuke paused then shook his head, deciding against whatever he was going to say. "We were in our first year when I had the dream about his death, and it was out of place to the rest of it, not that it ever followed any time line. It was always like a puzzle I had to piece together, events coming in different orders and I had to know or figure out how to arrange them. It was weird to see you, the prince I mean, kiss me..." Again Sousuke paused. "When you told me about your nightmare our last year of high school, I didn't know what to say. I found out later that mom had given you the same potion she had me when you were visiting one day, the sneak. I figured you'd either want to talk about it or you wouldn’t, and you never did, so I didn't bring it up." He finished that with a shrug, and slumped back on the couch and let his head lull backwards. "You may yell at me now." He said, and the smirk that decided to grace his face made Rin's blood boil, though Sousuke didn't see it as his eyes drifted shut. 

"You should have said something you ass, mainly if your mom is slipping weird magic into me." Rin snapped, not really knowing what to address. They were silent again as Rin thought about it. "Why don't you trust Haru?" He asked, trying to figure it out. He saw Sousuke's shoulder's tense, but then relax. 

"One of the dreams I had, before the one in high school, was him, me I guess, in the prison cell. He was battered and bloody," Rin couldn’t help that he envisioned the Sousuke from his dreams being forced to his knees again, "and someone came in. It was Haru. At first I always thought that he was like us, reincarnations or whatever, and where I had a strange distrust, I had always thought maybe it was unjustified. But in this dream, Haru gave him, me, a scale. It was beautiful, blue like his eyes yet transparent as well. Even though it was a dream I know how it felt, hard as diamond and cool to the touch, like ice I guess. He told me he couldn't save us both, even though he never said it was you, I knew it was, and I told him to leave me then. In another dream I had much later, the king had told me that he would execute the prince, you, and I had begged him to spare you. I told him I'd die in your place... I guess that's why I had said for him to save you. He told me he couldn't get to you, that you were guard too much even for him. I told him that I'd rather die than abandon you there. He then pushed that scale farther into my hand, and it cut like into the palm and my blood moved over it. He told me to make a wish then..." Sousuke stopped talking there and Rin saw his eyes open and even though Sousuke didn’t look over at Rin, he knew there was that damn sadness again. "I wished for you to have a long and happy life." Sousuke said, his voice slightly hollowed. "It wasn't until after you had your nightmare I realized Haru wasn't like us, that somehow in some why he was the same person from then. I threatened him to not harm you, that you’d never need his type of help again. I never want you to be hurt by anyone…” Sousuke looked over at Rin, and for a moment Rin thought he was going to say something important, something that had always hung there between them in silent moments that should have been said by now, but instead he looked away, towards the art again. "How did he, the prince, die?" He asked, and Rin was surprised by it. If this had happened a few days ago, Rin wouldn't have had the answer, but he did have it.

"Well..." Rin started, feeling a bit uncomfortable talking about these things out loud. "It's still a little hazy..."

"If you don't know, you don't..." Sousuke started, and Rin glared at him.

"I know, alright. Just it's weird. I'm still kinda taking in the idea that Haru from the dream is the same Haru I know now.... I mean we grew up together. Makoto too. Gou showed me a picture of him so that means they knew them, really knew them.... It's a lot." Rin said, and he dug the palm of his hand into his eye, rubbing it with almost too much force. "I mean... Cause Haru killed me... Him.." He muttered, and he felt Sousuke stand from the couch. 

XxXxXx

Haru knelt in front of Rin, his empty hand moving to touch Rin's face. It was strangely cool to the touch, like water on a hot day, and Rin couldn't help but lean into it.

"He wanted you to live a long, happy life." Haru said, his voice smooth and calm as normal. "I tried to save him, and he wouldn't leave without you." Rin felt his throat tighten at those words and he went to push Haru away, but his hand was caught by the one holding the feather. "He loved you and wanted you to grow old and be happy. I am bound to give him that, one way or another." Haru sounded deathly serious, and Rin trembled. He knew Sousuke had loved him, he knew it with every fiber in him, and that was why it hurt so much.

"I won't be happy without him." Rin said, and he met Haru's eyes with a pleading expression. "I'll always see him and always miss him and the hole in me will never be filled by anyone else. How could he think I could be happy without him?" Rin sobbed, tears gather in his eyes. Haru's thumb rubbed away the water when it fell, and Rin was certain Haru's eyes lit up.

"I am bound to give him this wish, Rin." He repeated and Rin sobbed brokenly. He knew they would drag him away from his father's sentence to let him rot away in this cell, and he didn't want that. He wanted to die here, as close to Sousuke's presence as possible. Haru moved his hold on his arm down to take Rin's hand, placing the feather between their palms. "Make a wish." Haru said, and Rin shook his head. "Wish for what your heart wants most. Do it." Haru insisted, holding his face tighter than before.

"I...I wish... I could be with Sousuke again..." Rin cried. "I wish we could be happy together again... Far far away from here. I… I wish we could see the ocean together and grow old together. I wish he was alive and well and grows old and dies painlessly in his bed. I… I…" He broke off, his sobbing growing louder as he shook, though he felt as if his hand was on fire and looked up to see a strange light move up through his arm. Distantly he heard Makoto make a noise kin to a pain, but he couldn't see him as Haru leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Rin felt a blade enter his body, between his ribs, and felt the warmth of his own blood seep out across his chest.

"I will grant his wish, Rin... Next time we meet you will live longer and be happier than you can even imagine." Haru whispered against his forehead and Rin's eyes grew heavy as he felt his lung fill with blood. He coughed, the blood filling his mouth as well, and that cool hand on his face grew warmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY! IT WAS DARK AND I MADE MYSELF SAD BECAUSE OF IT! NEXT CHAPTER WONT BE NEARLY THIS DARK I SWEAR!!
> 
> Next chapter: *Edit* Rei in the morning of this same day! *Edit*


	8. Pillow Stuffing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rei enjoys his morning with Nagisa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I lied when I said this was going to have Haru and Makoto and that mess. They will have their interaction next chapter. That being said, this is a Rei chapter! Yay! Also sorry for the delay of chapters. Just been busy. Anyway the next chapter(s) should be rather fast as we near the climax :)

The sunlight that filled Rei's room in the early morning caused the scientist's eyes to flutter open and he went to stretch, ready to start his day, but his arm had a large weight on it and he scrunched his eye brows in confusion and turned only to be met with a mop of gold. Rei smiled, remembering that Nagisa had spent the night and they had fallen asleep cuddled close. It had been about half a year since Rei had moved back to Iwatobi, and he was still adjusting to waking up with his boyfriend in his arms in the morning, not that he was complaining. He wanted this to happen every morning, he mused as his fingers idly moved to brush a few strands of hair out of the peaceful face and smiled at the small gentle noise and the cute way Nagisa's nose scrunched.

"Rei..." Nagisa mumbled, not opening his eyes and Rei couldn’t help but be happy because Nagisa was clearly dreaming about him. Nagisa's lips were parted ever so slightly, and even without his glasses Rei could enjoy the soft pink of them. Rei enjoyed these mornings he got to observe Nagisa, as well as the time he spent with him after they returned from work. He was ready to make this happen every day, but there were issues that kept them from finally moving in together, ahd one of those issues was the fact that Rei had yet to tell his parents and older brother that he was dating Nagisa, but Rei was moving to make changes on this front, starting with his plan for the dinner with his brother. He had told Nagisa about it the night before over a home cooked meal, and, reasonably, Nagisa had seemed nervous, but Rei couldn't see it going wrong. His family was open-minded, Rei had only put off telling them while he was overseas.

Rei leaned over and kissed Nagisa's forehead, then down to Nagisa's cheek, and Nagisa gave a soft groan as his eyes fluttered open. 

"Mmm.... Morning Rei-chan." Nagisa mumbled with a slanted smile, his pink eyes still fogged by the waning sleep. Rei smiled as well and kissed that smile without care of the morning breath they were bound to have. 

"Morning Nagisa-kun." He said softly, his arm snaking around the blonde's waist to pull Nagisa closer, which caused the blond to giggle a little and wrap his arm around Rei's neck. Rei smiled as he realized that Nagisa had snagged one of his favorite night shirts, a long sleeved button collared shirt with butterflies, and once more he kissed his boyfriend. "We need to get ready for the day." He muttered, much to his own dismay. Nagisa made a small noise of displeasure and wrapped his arms tighter around Rei's neck. 

"But that's later." he said, snuggling his head under Rei's, whose whole body warmed when he felt Nagisa breath ghost over his skin. "What time is your lunch?" Nagisa asked softly before placing a skillful kiss at the curve of Rei's neck and shoulder, and Rei felt Nagisa's smile at the shiver that moved through him.

"Around noon." He answered, loving that Nagisa always asked this, "Though if it changes I'll text you." He added. Nagisa hummed in response, and his hold tightened before he pulled back a little. 

"I had a weird dream." He said, smiling. "You had butterfly wings and we went to a kingdom of chocolate cake." Rei couldn't help but laugh at Nagisa's imagination. 

"You know how impossible that is." Rei said, and Nagisa rolled his eyes.

"Of course I do, Rei-chan." he said, then sighed. "You get the paper right?" With this question, Rei frowned. 

"You know I do, but do you really need to check your horoscope that badly Nagisa?" Rei asked, knowing that even if there was even a little bit of forlorn in the blonde's "fortune" that Nagisa would take it to heart. 

"Rei-chan don't be cryptic about this." Nagisa said, his voice carefree, but there was a small frown.

"I just don't want you to be worried about meeting my brother tonight." Rei said, gently stroking Nagisa's back. It was always a tender topic, some of the things Nagisa believed over what Rei knew as facts. He had once tried to explain to Nagisa how improbable horoscopes were, that it was just people taking wild guesses about thing and telling people what they wanted to hear. Nagisa had just smiled sadly and told Rei he knew that, but it was still fun. Rei doubted Nagisa believed that, he was always so idealistic and believe in silly things like that, but normally it didn't hurt to leave it alone. But this, Nagisa meeting his brother, was big. Rei wanted it to be perfect, and he knew if Nagisa was more worried than he already expressed last night, it might be a disaster. "C...Could you not read it, just for today?" Rei asked, eyes pleading. They were both silent for a while, then Nagisa sighed.

"Okay Rei-chan. Anyway my fortunes have been rather stale recently, I doubt I'm missing much." He said then sat up. Rei couldn't help but feel like Nagisa was putting up a front, but when he was about to question it, Nagisa simply rose from the bed. "Let's take a shower together Rei-chan." And Rei noticed Nagisa's bare legs under the shirt and he blushed darkly.

XxXxXx

"HARU-CHAN!" Nagisa cried happily as they walked into Future Fish, the blonde's loud tone causing Rei to wince slightly. Haru, who stood behind the counter, looked up and merely nodded at them. The little quant sitting area barely had anyone any it, just Haru's regulars who were use to Nagisa's antics if their gentle laughs indicated anything. 

"Nagisa-kun, we are indoors." Rei said gently, though he knew it was fruitless. This was just their morning routine now. Rei liked it, it was nice seeing Nagisa's glowing smile every morning when they got breakfast before parting ways for the day. Nagisa greeted each person with a friendly smile, asking about events they had told him about before he and Rei took their normal seats a the counter. 

"Ne ne Haru-chan! Did you make my favorite?" Nagisa asked as he leanded as far over the wood as possible. Rei knew the tactical advantage the blonde had with his pout when he was like that, making himself look smaller and helpless, his eyes sparkling more than normal in a plea for whatever he was asking for. It was adorable, and a weapon Rei was utterly helpless too. It seemed Haru was stronger willed, or had more time to grow immune to it, as he just looked at Nagisa almost blankly. They stared at each other for a long time, neither making a move, before a noise was heard in the back.

"Haru!" Kisumi, Haru's employee, called from the back, panic in his voice. Rei was sure he saw Haru roll his eyes and turn to go see what the problem was. Nagisa slinked off the counter with a pout and sat properly on the stool.

"Rei-chan, I hope Haru-chan did make my Iwatobi bread. He makes it the best!" Nagisa whined and Rei couldn't help but chuckle as he pulled the paper out from under his arm and opened it.

"I'm sure he did Nagisa-kun, he knows how much you like it after all." Rei said with a smile as he scanned the paper for any articles that would grip his attention. Luckily they were all really calm and discerning. 

"Ne ne, Rei-chan, read my horoscope to make sure it's okay." Nagisa said and Rei huffed. "I promised I wouldn't read it, but if you read it and it says something horrible you have to warn me. It's your sworn duty as my boyfriend!" Nagisa exclaimed and Rei sighed, though a small smile crept onto his face at his title of boyfriend being used. It still warmed him no matter how many years they had been dating.

"Alright I'll read it. You're a Leo, correct?" Rei asked, turning to the page he knew well. His eyes hovered over Sagittarius for a moment, words of "Misfortune for those of this sign who lie." making him pause. 

"Aww Rei-chan you remembered!" Nagisa said, bringing Rei not only out of his shocked stupor, but also caused the smile to form grow wider.

"Well of course Nagisa-kun," Rei said full of pride as he pushed his glasses up, "You are my boyfriend after all." And as his hand moved down he looked at the Leo's prediction. He forced himself not to frown when he read the words: "Be weary of new people." Of course it would say something so cryptic on the day Nagisa would meet his brother. But now he had to pretend he didn't read anything so dark, because these things were all made up by editors anyway. "Anyway, it doesn't look bad. You're in the clear Nagisa-kun." Rei said with a smile. Nagisa studied him then smiled bright and Rei relaxed. They didn't have time to linger on the topic as Haru moved over to their table with a tray of food, Iwatobi bread included. Rei smiled and thanked their friend and didn't notice the new lines added to Leo's horoscope.  
"Don't trust good intentions."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rei-chan, don't be a liar.
> 
> Anyway next chapter is the promised Rin and Sousuke talk with Makoto and Haru.
> 
> Also I will be working on some editing here soon, so if you've noticed any errors in my writing and want to help, feel free to post comments about it. I'd love the help. :)


	9. Sea Songs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru talks about his and Makoto's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this was going to be a Makoto chapter, but then some stuff happened, and by stuff I mean I wrote it like three different times, and I realized that not only did it need to be a Haru chapter, but Makoto isn't even in it! He will have a chapter soon though, not the next one, but the one after I promise!

Haru looked up, ready to tell whoever walked in that he was closed, and was surprised to see not only Rin, but Sousuke and Kou as well. Kou wasted no time in running up to him, a large beautiful smile on her face.

"Haru-senpai, I'm so happy to see you!" She said, and then she hugged him. Haru didn't return the hug, though he too was glad to see the younger Matsuoka.

"Are you hungry?" He asked gently, not minding to cook for the three. Kou looked back at her brother and Sousuke, and Haru's gazed followed. He noticed Sousuke looked more disgruntle than his usual scrowl that had lessened over the years, but what really troubled the merman was Rin's nervous shift and his avoidance of eye contact. Something was wrong, and Haru didn’t like it.

"Um... Well could we all sit down with tea? I really need to ask you something." Kou said, turning back to look at Haru. He nodded, motioning to a table that had yet to have the chairs stacked on top. The three took their seats, and Haru noticed how Sousuke took the seat to Haru’s right side and Rin took the left, making Kou across from him, and the farthest from him as well. Normally Sousuke was the one who didn’t want to be close, and it only confirmed his suspicions. 

Haru felt like something he wasn't ready for was about to happen, but he pushed the thought away as he went into the kitchen. Kisumi had left an hour before, but the room was still a little messy. Haru sighed and started the water and got the cups ready. When he walked back out into the lobby, he saw Kou whispering to both boys, her voice too soft to hear. The three looked up at him and all at once Haru knew what this was about. He then noticed the bag that sat between Kou and Sousuke filled with different tubes and he then looked at Kou. Haru didn't think Kou would be the first to find out, but he guessed it was for the best. Sousuke knew for the most part what he was, and as long as Makoto was safe, Haru didn't mind. He sat down the tray and then took his seat, pretending he didn't notice Rin's awkward shift to gain a bit more distance from him. 

"Haru-kun," Kou started after she had her tea, reaching down into the bag. "I... I wanted to ask you about these..." She seemed awkward, which Haru found strange. Kou was always comfortable in requesting information, always had things together, always very comfortable in her own abilities, and where she seemed organized, she also seemed uncomfortable. Haru didn't say anything about it, even though he didn’t like it, and only stared at her waiting for her to continued. Even though it had been years since they had seen each other, Haru was happy to see that she understood he was still interested and pressed forward. She opened one of the tubes and unrolled the parchment there. Haru couldn't help but be a little surprised to see the picture and couldn't help but reach out and grab it from her. It had been a long time since he had last seen this piece, and if he was honest he was surprised it made it through time this preserved. 

"Where did you get this?" He felt himself ask as he touched the sketch of Makoto. They had been so young then, their second life in human civilization, and still Makoto looked the same as always. He smiled as he remembered the occasion of this piece, it was a peaceful day that Makoto had found a meadow on his flight, and happily took Haru there. They had been so happy that day. It was a few days later that the village they lived in was attacked, and a blade was buried in Makoto's back and he was reborn before Haru's eyes. His fingers tightened their hold on the piece and Kou made a small noise as she tried to grab it. Haru jerked back, protecting it. It was his, she had no right to it.

"I found it when I was on my trip." She answered, a small frown pulling at her lips as she reached for it again. "I have to return it Haru-kun, it’s on file." She insisted. 

"No." Haru said, once more pulling it away from her. He was surprised when Sousuke's hand gripped his wrist, not allowing him to pull back farther. Haru glared at him and he squeezed and his hand loosened its grip and Kou pulled it free. "It's mine." He said, almost childlike, but it was gone from him again. Kou looked apologetic, all things considered, but it didn't keep the frown from Haru's face. "They are all mine." He added as he noticed the second scroll in her hand.

"S...So you did draw them?" Kou asked, and Haru nodded. "What are you? I mean Makoto was easy to figure out, but..." Kou didn't finish as Haru's hand slammed on the table as he stood, aggressive and protective.

"Stay away from Makoto." He growled, and though he doubted Kou would hurt him, Haru didn't trust it. Whoever Kou worked for knew what they could be, and that had never worked in their favor in the past. He wasn't surprised when both men rose to protect Kou, though the girl didn't look worried in the slightest. She should be if she worked for someone who'd endanger Makoto, because no matter how fond he was of Kou, Haru would do anything to protect Makoto. Haru had worked so hard for their life they had now, had watched Makoto die too many times before this, more times than Makoto even remembered, and he'd be damned to lose him, lose this, so soon.  
"I would never hurt Makoto-kun." Kou said firmly, and their eyes didn't break. "Neither will who I'm working for. If I thought you two would be endangered I never would have returned to Iwatobi. You two are my friends." She was confident again, and Haru wanted with everything he was to believe her. He felt himself relax, and the two other men seemed to do the same. "I just want to know what you are." She persisted. "Makoto-kun is a phoenix, if these pictures mean anything, but you...." She messed with her cup, her brow furrowed in thought. "Originally I thought a merman, but if you can be reborn like Makoto, that's not it." 

"It is." Haru answered as he sat back down. "I am a merman." He didn't look away from her. He didn't know how to explain it to her. "Makoto and I have been together for a long time.... Longer than your kind, humans I mean." 

"Then.... How? I've never seen anything about a mer-persons that said they could be reborn as a child like Makoto-kun can." She asked, confused. Haru took a drink, not sure how to explain what she wanted to know. He didn't know how much about magic Kou knew, and to explain it in front of Rin and Sousuke would be a hastle because they, mostly Rin, would ask questions Haru was sure. But Kou looked so determined to know, and he liked Kou, she was his friend and he wanted to make her happy. So with a deep breath he sat down his cup and looked at her.

"I'm bound to him... I gave life to him when I shouldn't have, but I... I couldn't live without him, and now I will never be without Makoto until the end of my life." He said, and he could feel Rin's look of confusion, but Haru’s full attention was on Kou, who seemed deep in thought about it for a moment then her eyes widened.

"He... He didn't burn once." She said, and Haru felt proud of her as he nodded. She was so clever and he was happy wouldn’t have to say it. "That... Wow..."

"Will someone explain to me?" Rin snapped and Kou looked at Haru, her eyes sad, then towards Rin. 

"It means... Phoenix rise from the ashes, when they die their bodies burn and then there is a baby left... What Haru means is that Makoto has actually died once, like... No fire." She explained, and Haru was impressed with her simple way of explaining it. She turned her attention back to Haru and he felt the next question to his core. "How did it happen?"

He didn't have to answer her, he didn't want to. They were quiet for a long time, Haru refusing to look up from his cup. He did feel she did deserve some answers, she had gone this far to find out, she had learned so much about them. He frowned then looked up.

"I...It's easier to start at the beginning." He said, and her eyes widened. He guessed she was surprised that she was going to get an answer at all, and honestly Haru was too. He had never told the story aloud, it was a ghost in his soul that even Makoto forgot about.

"We, Makoto and I, met when we were just children. He was flying over the reef I enjoyed at the time and I thought he was beautiful." He smiled fondly, it had been some time since he had thought of first meeting Makoto. "We became friends quickly, he was so fascinated by me, and I him. We lived in two different worlds. He would never be able to see mine, but a few times I ventured onto the shore and he showed me his favorite places. We enjoyed our time together and spent many years like that...." He paused, taking a drink. "I don't know when we fell in love, I just remember being in love with him and him feeling the same...." At this he heard both Kou and Rin make small sighs at the romance, though Haru wasn’t embellishing for their entertainment or romactic sensibilities, it was just the truth. "We agreed to be together forever, but... It was my fault. Going above water was against the queen’s rules, and I had broken them farther by walking on earth, by feeling the warm of the fire, and eating the earths food. She let me get away with these things, but to declare myself to someone above the ocean… She couldn’t turn a blind eye to that." The smile on Haru's face faded as his fingers tightened on the cup. "She went to where I met Makoto every day, and Makoto... He thought that it was me in the water and flew out to meet me. She grabbed him and pulled him deep under the surf. I was too far to stop it but close enough to watch. I tried to get there faster, but by the time I tore her throat out and got him to the surface, it was too late. Makoto had drown and his body wasn't able to..." Haru fell silent for a moment, and Kou reached across the table and squeezed his hand. Haru looked up at her and she smiled. 

"I pulled him to the beach and pleaded him to wake up, but he was dead. I sat next to him until he dried and then did the only thing I could think, I started a fire. We, mer-people, are forbidden to start fires, it’s against everything we are as children of the ocean, but for Makoto I'd do anything. His body burned to ash and there was nothing at first…. It was the worst fear I'd ever felt.” Haru could still remember that day, how his body was in agony from starting the fire, and thinking Makoto was lost to him forever. “Then that sharp cry pieced the night. I took him to his parents, I didn't know what to do until he was older, but when I went back to the ocean, I was attacked. They banished me for acts against our queen and the betrayal of our kind." He looked up meeting Kou's eyes. "A few days passed and then I... I don't remember how it happened but I was an infant again. Makoto's mother and father, his real parents that is, took me in and we grew up together completely and it’s been this way ever since." He motioned to the tube she still clutched. "What others do you have?" He asked and she looked down at them.

"I... I um..." She looked confused for a moment, as if she was still absorbed in Haru's story, but then she blinked a few times and pulled up another tube, one Haru saw was labeled "Prince". He knew before it was taken out, the title gave it away, but it still was amazing to see the piece once it was placed on the table. He noticed the two men on each side look at the piece, and Haru wondered what they wanted to say about this. "Can you tell me about this one?" Kou asked, and Haru didn't let the way Rin tensed go unnoticed.   
"They were Makoto and my friends." Haru said simply. "We... We had been entrusted in a humans care that time. Makoto was "the son of a merchant" and when his "father" passed away, Makoto took control of the caravan. I was his protection, many people tried to take his life for his goods, though Makoto would never admit to it. We met these two deep in the desert where a cruel king ruled. We almost didn't stay, but Makoto... He befriended the prince and his lover." He glanced at Sousuke, and noticed those teal eyes were on him. "We stayed there for a long time, longer than we should have, and we grew closer than we should have giving how dangerous it was. We told them of the world, of all the places we’ve seen through all our lives, though we didn’t tell them about what we were, they knew we weren’t human. They both seemed fascinated by them, mainly in the stories of the ocean, and Makoto and I... We cared for them, we loved them dearly, so when the prince asked me to sneak them out of the kingdom, I agreed. His father had ordered him to do something unthinkable, though he never told me what it was. I did refused him at first, it was too risky and I would never endanger Makoto, nor did I wish to see those two hurt, but with his pleading along with Makoto’s, I agreed. It was my fault they were captured... Not directly, but it was my idea that Makoto and I wait on the outskirts of the kingdom and they meet us. If we had stayed in the palace and helped them out...." Haru looked up once more at Sousuke, then at Rin, who looked seriously at Haru. "We heard a day later that they had been captured, and the king had ordered our capture as well. I went in for them and found the servant first, the prince was too guarded... But you already know this part." He looked at Sousuke and he nodded. "And you?" He looked at Rin and he nodded as well. Haru nodded and Kou looked confused.

"They were put to death." Sousuke filled in. "After he gave the servant a scale from his tail to make a wish."

"Then later gave the prince a phoenix feather..." Rin supplied. Haru merely nodded. "But I have a question." Rin started and Haru knew it before the words left him. "Why... Why did you...?"

"He wanted to die... And I know the pain he felt was something he'd never recover from. As I said, I cared for him, I loved him, he was very dear to both me and Makoto... Still is very dear to us." His eyes locked with Rin's, and Rin stiffened. They stared at each other for a long time until Rin's eyes filled with tears and he broke contact. Carefully Haru reached out and rubbed Rin's back, and the man leaned closer to him, his head falling on Haru's shoulder. Haru rubbed small circles on Rin's back, and dared to glance at Sousuke. He was staring at the table, frown on his face, and Haru understood he needed time to soak it in. Kou cleared her throat after a moment, and Rin sat up, sniffling and Haru grabbed a napkin off the table for him.

"I... I would like you and Makoto to meet a few members of MIP, it stands for Magical Information and Protection. I promise you Haru-kun, it's completely safe and they would just ask you a few questions. Many of them would like to meet you, your art is quite popular." She smiled and Haru looked off to the side, embarrassed. "But... I have to go right now... Tomorrow I'd like to talk with you more, is that okay?" Haru hesitated before agreeing with a nod and she smiled. "Thank you Haru-kun." She stood and pushed in her chair. Sousuke and Rin followed her lead, though Haru didn't rise. "We'll see ourselves out." She said then turned to leave, her brother and friend following. She paused at the door then turned back to Haru. "One more question. Nagisa-kun... He isn't a merman, even though you say you're cousins... Is he ...a star?" Haru couldn't help but once more feel proud of his kouhai as he merely nodded. She was very bright. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked down at the ground. "Interesting..." She said then looked up at Haru. "And Rei-kun hasn't... No I guess he wouldn't..." She then smiled and left. 

Haru felt a knot in his gut at her words.

XxXxXx

"Haru-chan!" Haru came up from under his bath water as Nagisa called for him, throwing open the bathroom door and moved to the side of the tub, taking a seat on the floor. Haru studied the man, already knowing something was wrong, but didn’t know how bad it would be. Haru knew he didn't have to press Nagisa to get the answers to what was troubling him, but he began to worry as the silence drew one. "I... I met Rei-chan's brother today." Nagisa said, and Haru frowned. "I think it went well... But I... I have this feeling that something was off. He kept staring at me... I don't know, like he didn't like me." Haru sighed as he rose from the tub and grabbed the towel hanging near him. Nagisa looked up with curiosity before rising himself.

"I'll make tea." Haru said plainly and then went to the kitchen, barely drying off his body and jammers. Nagisa was on his heels and even though they were going to sit at the table, he didn't move to wait there. 

"Do you have the paper?" Nagisa asked as Haru started the water. Haru nodded turned to get it, moving towards the sitting room where a few things had been abandoned on the table. Before handing it over to Nagisa, he flipped the page to the Astronomy section and glanced at his own sign. 

"Protect him." The words made Haru jump, and his thoughts moved to Makoto, fearful something had put him in danger, but he shook it away. The stars didn't protect the phoenix, Haru did. If the stars wanted anyone protected it would be Nagisa. He was about to hand it to Nagisa when the blond nudged it away.

"I promised Rei-chan I wouldn't read it today." He said, and Haru frowned. 

"Why?" He asked, sitting down. Why would Nagisa make such a silly promise, and what's more why keep it. Rei didn't understand how important these things were, not only to Nagisa but to them both. 

"Because... He didn't want me to get nervous about meeting his brother... He read it this morning and told me it was okay, but if you'd read it to me out loud...." And Nagisa smiled, though his eyes were begging. Haru's frown deepened. "Please please please Haru-chan. I feel like maybe something went wrong. His brother... Maybe I offended him or something and my sisters saw and can tell me."

"Fine." Haru said and glanced once more at the paper. "Be weary of new people. Don't trust good intentions." Haru read aloud and then his eye brows furrowed closer together as new words began to form, though they looked nothing like the neat print that the previous words were in, but a hurried handwriting that didn't belong in the paper. "Run. Run Nagisa and Haruka! They are coming now! RUN!" No sooner did Haru read the words he grabbed Nagisa and pulled him up, pulling him towards the back door. 

"Haru-chan?" Nagisa questioned, but was cut short when Haru's front door was kicked in. Nagisa screamed and Haru shoved him behind him, closer to the exit. 

"Go Nagisa." He whispered, shoving him again. Nagisa stumbled and looked at Haru with terror in his eyes. 

"Not without you Haru-chan!" He said, clearly scared. 

"No, go. Call...” He was going to say Makoto, but he changed at the last second, “Call Rin. Tell him to hurry!" He shoved Nagisa again, this time out the door. "Go!" And then he slammed the door shut and turned to see two large men in his kitchen. Haru took a deep breath and then his hands began to glow a soft blue. The water from the kettle moved through the air and swirled to Haru, forming a whip ready to attack. The one closest to Haru pulled a gun, the one farther back spoke into a radio.

"The star is running." Haru heard and moved the water to lash the man's hand, causing him to knock the radio to the ground. The gun went off and Haru felt pain bloom in his shoulder. He turned the whip on the shooter, but the second man pulled a gun as well. Haru focused and water from his bath came next, the new bullets landing in the wall he formed between them. He felt the world shift and looked at his shoulder to see a little dart sticking in the skin. He had to stay awake, he had to hold them off, he had to protect Nagisa and Makoto. Without a second though, Haru pressed forward, two balls of water coming free from his barrier and moved to cover the men's head. It wasn't long before their bodies were limp and falling to the floor. Haru moved to go after Nagisa, but with one step the world swirled and he fell. He could barely make out the man that moved above him, radio in hand. His hair was blue, and glasses sat before purple cold eyes.

“Rei?” Haru whispered, thoug his vision blurred worse before all he could see was black.

"Looks like we also caught a fish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... That was something right? So many things I want to say but I'm stopping cause I'll give stuff away. But I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one. Also I was going to do Haru and Makoto's first like like a flash back sort of thing, but I couldn't make it work, so I figured having Haru talk about it was good. Kind of out of character but... Also please tell me how you felt about that ending action scene. I feel on the fence about it, but I also feel like I'm just being picky. 
> 
> Next chapter: Rin and Sousuke get a punch to the face. Fact that will happen. OR at least one of them will...


	10. Fireworks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin and Sousuke get punched, and that's the best summary I'm giving on this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I worked all night and was relatively sober to bring this chapter to you all. I hope you enjoy it. Sorry I'm sucky at summaries, but I don't want to spoil it.

Rin sat on the floor of his living room, back resting against his couch and his head lulled back on the cushion. On the seat next to him was Sousuke, who looked just as overwhelmed as Rin felt. Rin wanted to talk about this, about all of it, but he had no clue where to start. They had been sitting there for an hour, barely speaking at all. Rin knew he was staring at Sousuke,though the larger man hadn’t noticing as he played on his phone. 

It was strange to think they had lived a life before this one, had been friends, had been lovers. It wasn't the first time he thought about them being lovers, but never before had he thought it was possible. The idea of Sousuke having dreams about him the way Rin had dreams about Sousuke was slightly exciting, very exciting actually, though Rin had dreamed of other dirty things with Sousuke than the dreams he had of the prince and his servant, hell his first wet dream was with Sousuke when he was thirteen. It had been so embarrassing and he hadn’t been able to look Sousuke in the eyes for a full week. Rin felt his face warm at the memory and he looked away from Sousuke, not wanting to get caught at letting his mind wander so far. Maybe they could be lovers though, it had worked before. That was no way to think of it though, Rin scolded himself, they weren't those people, their lives were better, happier or so Rin hoped. And who was to say that Sousuke felt that way. Rin looked back at his best friend and was surprised to catch his eyes.

"Still thinking about it?" Sousuke asked, smiling fondly. Rin gave an idle shrug, then sat up and turned to face Sousuke.

"I think I'm numb to it at the moment. Too much, ya know... Though… I have a question for you." Rin's hands twisted the hem of his shirt around his finger, though he didn't look away from Sousuke. "What... When you dreamt of us, them, what did you think? Like..." Rin felt his face warm, and he knew his face was turning pink, though Sousuke had the decency not to tease him this time. "I know what type of things they did, to some extent, and I'm sure we had the same dreams, so..." Before he could press forward, his phone rang and he jumped and muttered a curse under his breath, because really who calls someone at nine at night? He scoffed when he saw Nagisa's contact picture and almost didn't answer, but at the last second answered. "Nagisa do you....?" He started but he heard heavy breathing. "Nagisa?"

"Rin!?" Nagisa said, and Rin stiffened. The blonde's voice was tight with panic and he also sounded like he was crying. "Rin they... They got Haru and I don't know what to do." And the sob that passed from Nagisa broke Rin's heart.

"Nagisa where are you? What do you mean they got Haru? Who are “they”?" Rin questioned, looking over at Sousuke who was listening with a frown, his brows furrowed. Sousuke had always had a soft spot for Nagisa, along with Aiichiro.

"I...I'm at the beach I was at Haru's and then the door was kicked in and Haru shoved me out and I saw him take out one guy and then they shot something and I ran Haru told me to call you and now Rei's..." All of Nagisa's words ran together and he didn't breath, but he was cut off by his own cry and Rin could tell he had dropped the phone. 

"Nagisa!" Rin yelled, and called out again when he heard a gunshot. "Nagisa Hazuki answer me now!" Rin yelled, but was denied. He waited, and frowned as he heard a voice speak, though it was muffled, most likely in the sand.

"The star has been obtained. I'll meet you at the merman's residence. Clean up will not be necessary." 

"NAGISA!" Rin called once more but it was silent. Without a second thought Rin grabbed the keys to his car off the table. "Sousuke we have to go!" Rin said, and even though he knew deep down it was going to be too late, he had to try though, and Sousuke seemed to be on the same track as he followed after Rin out the door.

XxXxXx

Rin ran up the stairs to Haru's home, Sousuke close at his heels. The search of the beach had only been able to find Nagisa's cell, and Rin cursed when he realized he should have went to Haru's first. The first thing Rin noticed was the front door kicked in and moved to go in, but was stopped when Sousuke grabbed his hand. 

"I'll go in through the front, you take the back." Sousuke said, and Rin knew if there was any hope they shouldn’t argue, so he nodded and veered to the right of the house toward the back door. He barely noticed Sousuke go in out of his peripheral vision, his mind so focused on Nagisa and Haru's safety. He did noticed, the closer he got to the backdoor, the puddles of water and cursed again as he entered the house. The water only grew the closer he moved towards the kitchen, and he saw two men laying on the floor. He was about to call for Haru when he heard a loud crash and ran towards it. 

He was almost too stunned to think as he saw a large form pin Sousuke to the wall, Sousuke's feet just above the ground and his hand clutching the arm that held his throat. The person reared back and punched Sousuke's face and Rin moved, grabbing the person's arm and stopping from the next attack. Sousuke was spared another blow, but Rin wasn't as lucky as a fist collided with his cheek. 

"MAKOTO!" Rin yelled heatedly as he dodged the next blow, though it wasn't easy with the way his vision was blurred from the pain. He felt himself grabbed and tossed like a ragdoll against the opposite wall Sousuke had recently collided with, Makoto’s thick forearm pressed against his throat, keeping air from Rin’s lungs.

"WHERE IS HARU!?" Makoto yelled, and Rin would have marveled at seeing Makoto's contorted with anger if it wasn't for the fact he was sure he was going to have his throat crushed under Makoto’s blind rage. He braced himself as he noticed Makoto rear back, but the blow never came. What did happen was Sousuke grabbed Makoto's arm and using the skills he had acquired as a police officer twisted the arm and pinned it behind Makoto's back and Rin was able to get free, coughing and slumping against the wall as he sucked in air. 

Sousuke pushed Makoto against the wall with more force than Rin thought was necessary, it was their friend after all, but as Rin noticed Sousuke had to use his whole body to keep Makoto there, and was still struggling, Rin guessed it was necessary after all. Makoto almost broke free several time, Rin had never seen Makoto angry before, but the rage that moved through him now was terrifyingly beautiful.

"Makoto." Sousuke barked, his voice deep and commanding, and the brunette stilled. It was another moment before Sousuke pulled back and Makoto seemed to wilt, all the energy he had gone in a moment as he slumped to he floor. 

"He's gone.... I felt something was wrong and my mother called saying men had stormed up the stairs..." Makoto said and Rin carefully sat next to down and rubbed Makoto's back. “I was too late… H..How did you know to come here?” Makoto looked over at Rin, and for a moment Rin thought Makoto would attack again.

"Nagisa called us. We need to try and find any clue where they took them." Rin said, and Makoto’s eyes widened.

"Nagisa? They have Nagisa?" Makoto asked and Rin nodded. Makoto cradled his head in his hands, looking every bit as helpless as Rin felt, and with a glance at Sousuke, Rin knew he felt just he same. "They have Nagisa...." He repeated. "They have Haru..." He pulled at his hair and the pain was on Makoto's face. "I should have been here, I should have been able to protect them." His voice was tight with anger again and Rin was about to comfort him when Sousuke knelt down and grabbed Makoto's hands from his hair.

"They would have taken you as well." He said calmly. "Rin, call Gou-chan." And those calm cyan eyes met Rin's scarlet one and Rin could only nod as he pulled out his cell, pushing Nagisa’s cell even deeper into his pocket.

XxXxXx

Gou sat next to Makoto at the table, her hand rubbing small circles on his back and her face full of worry. They had just told her all that they knew, which wasn't much, and she was deep in thought. 

"What did Nagisa say again?" She asked after they were silent for an uncomfortable amount of time.

"He said," Rin started, his hand moving the bag of ice he had been pressing to the bruised skin to the table. "He said Haru had stayed behind to protect him and told him to call me." Rin furrowed his eye brows as he stared at the table. "Right before he screamed though.... I think he said something about Rei." He said for the first time, like he wasn't sure. "Yeah. 'They shot something at Haru and I ran and now Rei.' that was the last thing said." He nodded and frowned. "But Rei couldn't have been involved right? He isn’t involved in stuff like this past Nagisa, right. Plus he doesn’t believe in this, I mean I didn't either before today but Rei..." He stopped talking when he saw the frown on Gou's face. "What aren't you telling us Gou." He asked, his tone one of a big brother who caught his sister doing something she shouldn't and Gou seemed to flinch.

"Rei... could be involved... I didn't think so when we talked to Haru this afternoon. Haru seemed very aware of what is around him after all..." She glanced at Makoto, who's full attention was on her. "Makoto-senpai, if I had thought Rei would do something like this.... But maybe he didn't... Rei-kun's our friend after all..." She brought her free hand up to her mouth and continued the back and forth with herself, torn on what she believed and what could actually be true. 

"Gou." Sousuke said and she looked at him. "Please explain more clearly. I have a headache and am not following." Rin saw how dark the bruise on Sousuke's face was and his own bruise pulsed as he thought too much about it. Makoto hadn't used full force on Rin, having been caught off guard, but all of his power had gone into the blow that had hit Sousuke. Rin passed him the ice pack and their eyes met. Sousuke motioned to his face and Rin shook his head. Sousuke hesitated then nodded his thanks as he began to ice the bruise.

"I told you about the three orginazations. The MIP, then there are the hunters, The Human Protectors," Makoto tensed at the mention of this group, "They see magical creatures as a threat that needs to be taken out. One of the MIP's tasks is to stop the hunter, which isn't easy." Rin tensed at the idea of his sister trying to stop murderers, but Gou didn't linger long enough on the topic for him to start questioning her about it. "Then there is Sunrise. Sunrise is rather new... It was founded seven years ago by Ryugazaki Daisuke." She was silent as it sank in. 

"Rei's older brother." Makoto all but breathed and his eyes went wide as he looked at Gou. "We... We were all still in school. No, there is no way Rei knew about our kind, mine and Haru's and Nagisa's, there is no way. I would have noticed. Haru would have noticed...." His voice died then, his eyes moving towards the table as if he was thinking about something important.

"What do they do at Sunrise?" Rin asked, feeling the need to press farther. It was important they knew what they were up against.

"I...I'm not sure. It's really just rumors. All I know is that they gather magical creatures. Some say they sell them to the highest bidder, others say they..." She glanced at Makoto, who now looked at her with terror. "They...They do experiments on them. I know the few creatures we managed to save from them weren't... weren't all there physically.. or mentally." Rin could tell this pained her to say, not only because Makoto moved to stand with fear and anger etched on his face, but also because she had seen whatever happened to those creatures. 

"I'm going to go to Rei's. If Haru is hurt I'll..." Makoto said, and for the second time that night Rin felt scared over Makoto’s anger, the way red colored his skin and his mouth formed a tight frown, how his eyes were dancing with a look of burning rage, like an uncontrollable fire.

"Makoto, if you go after him alone, they could capture you." Rin said, standing ready to stop his friend from barreling past him. "We'll go with you. We don't even know if Rei knows anything. He's our friend, like Gou said."

"Haru and Nagisa are in danger, don't you get that?! I have to save them!" Makoto yelled, but Rin didn't flinch like he wanted to. 

"Do you think getting caught yourself will do anything? You saw the water in there, you saw the bodies. Haru fought them alone and he’s not here! Don't be an idiot!" Rin pressed, and then Sousuke stood, and Rin felt empowered. 

"Makoto we're go together. That’s that. Gou, you go to your people, tell them what's happen, find out whatever you can and get as much help as you can." Sousuke said, looking at Gou. The woman nodded. They all left, but Rin paused at the door, glancing back at the picture of the old woman Rin had always thought was Haru's grandmother. He bowed his head in respect before pulling the front door shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY SWEET SOUSUKE'S FACE!!! MY SWEET RIN'S FACE!!! MY SWEET ANGRY MAKOTO!!!
> 
> That being said, if anyone knows Rei's older brothers name for real, I'd be forever grateful for it. I did look a little, but it wasn't on the wiki or any of the other pages I looked on. Honestly they didn't even have the age difference, but I'm getting it's anywhere from three to four years older. 
> 
> Also, if anyone noticed, last chapter I referred Gou as Kou, and in this chapter I used Kou again. Reason for that is that it was a Haru chapter, and he calls her Kou, like she wants. It's a small touch, but it's mine.
> 
> Next chapter: Rei and Makoto have some "words".


	11. Celestial Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rei and Makoto talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this chapter isn't that long, but it's set up for the next six chapters. ;)

Rei sighed as he dried the last cup before setting it in the assigned cabinet. Dinner could have been worse, but it felt so tense and Nagisa had left before he told his brother they were dating. Rei guessed it wasn't fair to ask the boy to linger for that part, Nagisa had told his parents alone, but at the same time there was a reason for him to invite Nagisa to the dinner. And when he did tell his brother, his brother seemed disappointed. He never said as much, instead he said congratulations like any supportive older brother would, but all of Daisuke's body language told Rei that he wasn't happy about it.

And then Daisuke mentioned his job.

"You should come to work with me tomorrow, I want to show you all I've done." Daisuke said and he sounded so proud and everything felt comfortable. Maybe Rei had thought too much of Daisuke's body language, he still cared about him and wanted him in his life, and it was a new thing for Daisuke. Rei wondered if his parent would react any better. He could only hope. He had agreed to visit Daisuke's work place, curious what type of place 'Sunset' was, since Daisuke was rather vague on the details. "We work with rare animals." was the most he got out of his older brother. It sounded like a place Nagisa would enjoy, mainly if they were cute animals. 

Rei sighed once more as he moved to sit on his couch, picking up the paper and flipped to the page he had been on last when he was reading. Maybe he should call Nagisa, Rei thought as his eyes wandered the page, not taking in the content. Make sure the blonde was alright. Maybe he had just been too nervous, and Rei couldn’t blame him, the atmosphere had been thick, and the blonde knew what this dinner was for. He was about to sit his paper down and grab his phone when his eyes caught two words that he didn't normally see in the paper. Ryugazaki Rei. Pushing up his glasses he realized that his name was in the horoscope section. That's strange, Rei thought, knowing that he had read them just his morning and there had been nothing of the sort there. But now, in a font that wasn't from a computer, in fact it looked hand written, and he was sure he was reading his name. His eyes moved to the beginning.

Sagittarius: RYUGAZAKI REI IT IS YOUR FAULT NAGISA HAS BEEN CAPTURED! YOU PREVENTED HIM FROM READING OUR WARNING AND NOW HE AND NANASE HARUKA ARE IN GRAVE DANGER! WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS! HE IS SCARED AND ALONE AND WE CANNOT SEE HIM ANY LONGER! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM! RESCUE HIM!

Rei stared at the word, horror struck as the words " RESCUE HIM!” continued to move across the page, the handwriting becoming more and more urgent. Rei threw the paper on the table and reached for his cell phone. He was going insane, but his sanity was the last thing on his mind as he called his boyfriend, because Nagisa’s safty was always more important than his own mental health.

"Nagisa answer the phone." He whispered, his foot tapping quickly on the floor. He jumped off the couch when he heard the ringtone he knew so well, the tone he heard whenever Nagisa received a call, from the other side of his front door. He was just tired, even though he had slept well and didn't feel tired at all, that had to be the case, and when he saw Nagisa everything would be okay. He opened the door, expecting to see his short blonde boyfriend, but instead was greeted by three people. "Makoto-senpai, Rin-senpai, Sousuke-senpai." Rei said, surprised, then looked behind them. "Where is Nagisa-kun?" 

Makoto blinked at Rei, then his face contort with... anger. Yes that was defiantly anger and Rei knew something must be wrong. The words from the paper flashed in his minds eyes, "Grave danger", and he realized that Haru was also absent from their group. Makoto moved first, taking a step closer, and Rei moved back, his body knowing better than to be close to someone who was this angry. Rin placed his hand on Makoto's chest, and Rei thought the danger was contained, but then Rin himself moved forward, faster than Makoto, and a fist collided with his chest, gripping the shirt tightly and forcing him backwards into his apartment. Makoto followed closely after, Sousuke at the rear to close the door, much calmer in comparision to the other two.

"Why do you want to know where Nagisa is?" Rin asked, his voice harsh, and he showed his sharp teeth as a means to intimidate. Honestly it was working, if only for the fact that three of Rei's friends were in his living room, one was attacking him, another looked like he wanted too and the third looked like he wasn’t going to stop them if they decided to go farther.

"He’s my boyfriend, so where is he?" Rei answered, putting on a brave face in this mess. Rin already looked like he had been punched, and so did Sousuke, if their swollen and discolored faces were any indication, and so Rei assumed that if Haruka was in danger, the likely cause of their injuries were from Makoto. Rei had never seen Makoto angry before and he never thought Makoto could get as angry as he was seeing now, and with all of this, his fears for Nagisa only grew.

"Why don't you tell us where he and Haru are, neh?" Rin said, his grip tightening on his shirt and pulled him closer.

"If I knew where Nagisa was I wouldn't be asking you, would I? You have his cellphone, so you know more than I do. As for Haruka-senpai I last saw him this morning at breakfast." Rei said, voice surprisingly well under control. "Why do you think I know where they are?" It was a fair question, he had no idea how he was suppose to know. Everyone, however, seemed to be blaming him, even his newspaper. 

Rin seemed to falter at the question, and his grip loosened and Rei used that chance to break free of his hold, taking a few steps back.

"Rei..." Makoto started, and purple eyes moved toward the brunette. "You...You really don't know do you?" And the anger that looked so misplaced on Makoto seemed to fade into helplessness that really did hurt Rei’s heart. "Why did you call Nagisa?" Rei motioned towards his paper that he had abandoned. 

"My...This is going to sound crazy, but, my horoscope. It.... It read that Nagisa was in danger and.... I've never been one to take those things seriously but... It had mine and Nagisa’s name… And Haruka-senpai’s as well." He tried to explain, not really knowing how he should, and by the end pushed up his glasses to hide how awkward he felt. Makoto grabbed the paper and read, Rei watched as his eyes moved over the words, before he noticed Makoto was shaking and his face paled. "Where is Nagisa?" Rei tried once more.

"I don't know." Makoto answered, his voice quiet. "But we have to find them."

"Makoto what does it say?" Rin asked, and Rei could tell he was still out of the loop. This was absurd, he was going insane, but if Nagisa was really in danger he couldn't just sit by and be oblivious and helpless to it all.

"Will someone explain to me what is going on?" Rei asked before Makoto could answer. Makoto looked at Rin, then at Rei, before sighing.

"We don't have time to explain the long way." He said, then pulled his t-shirt off. Rei didn't know why that was necessary, but didn't speak as Makoto closed his eyes and released his breath. One moment everything was quiet, and in the next there was a loud roar of fire and Rei couldn't help but scream, and he was sure Rin did as well, as flames shot out from Makoto's back and then faded away, leaving long red beautiful feathered wings that were taller than Makoto by three inches and easily brushed against Rei’s carpet. Makoto's shoulders were covered in smaller red feather that lead down to his elbow and crept up Makoto's neck and into his hair line. Rei stared wide eyed at his friend in his new form before he took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm going insane." He whispered. There was no way this was possible, but he couldn't help but think back to a time at the pool side and Nagisa saying something about phoenix feathers and stars, couldn’t help but think of every time Nagisa has spoken of magical beings with such conviction that they were real. Slowly he pulled his hand away as some things began to make sense in a strange way that shouldn't be so. Makoto's distant looks, if he was what Rei assumed to be a phoenix then that would be something he did, remembering lives far ago. Then Haruka would have to be.... a merman, he liked the water enough. But then Nagisa... "Stars aren't like that." The words seemed so strange then, but now... And the way Nagisa seemed to glow when he was happy, not just in a metaphorical stance, but literally. Rei always just thought it was his feelings for the blond that made him seem that way, but if he was a star... But how could he be a star, science had proved that stars are nothing more than gas. It didn't make sense, but neither did his news paper starting to add words in front of his eyes or his friend shooting fire out of his back and growing wings. If those things could happen, then Nagisa could be a star. Slowly Rei pushed his glasses on his face and then sank down to the floor. If Nagisa was a star, how many times had he said something to hurt the blond? How many times had Nagisa tried to tell him, only to be brushed off in the claims of it being illogical? Where was the blonde now? What type of grave danger was he in?

"Why did you think I knew where he was?" He asked aloud, because really this was the only question he could think that they could answer.

"We think your brother kidnapped him." Sousuke said and Rei looked at him like he was crazy. 

"Daisuke? That...That's..." Rei started, but he couldn't say it was impossible, because everything Rei had ever thought to be impossible seemed to be possible. "Rare animals..." Rei muttered his hand moving to his mouth. "He treated Nagisa strange all dinner.... Rare animals...." his voice wasn't very loud, but he knew the three other men in the room were listening to him. "He... He meant Nagisa as one of those 'rare animals'... And Haruka-senpai as well...." 

"Did he tell you where he works?" Rin asked and Rei shook his head.

"No, but he wants to take me there tomorrow.... To where Nagisa is, to where they both are... If we...." He began to pace the living room. "If you three could follow me and break in.... No... That would put you three at risk...."

"We'll do it." Makoto said, and Rei stopped in front of him. Their eyes met and Rei realized they must be feeling close to the same way. "I have to rescue Haru..." And Rei nodded.

"I have to rescue Nagisa." They were silent, the four of them, before Rei reached out and lightly brushed one of Makoto's feathers, unable to help himself any longer. "Amazing." He whispered, in awe suddenly. Makoto shifted, and then the feathers receded into his skin and a fire formed on his wings, the roar sounding off once more.

"Another time..." Makoto said and Rei nodded. "When is your brother going to come get you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh phoenix Makoto I'm so glad I wrote you. Just so pretty sounding. 
> 
> Poor Rei-baby having your whole view on the world altered so quickly.
> 
> Next chapter: They break in (FINALLY GOING TO BE A MAKOTO POV CHAPTER WOOT!)


	12. Break In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sousuke, Rin, and Makoto break into Sunrise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, where to start. Okay, so if you have read this story before 10/27/16 please do me a huge favor and reread. Not very much has changed, so it's not an absolute requirement, but I did work on it and have improved several things that have been bothering me, like I added Sousuke confronting Haru in the covenant store, named Haru's cafe, and just made several chapters less choppy. I removed a chapter, the one that was solely Sousuke and Rin as the prince and the slave, but it will be in their personal story, so if you are reading past the date I said, and I haven't posted that story yet when you are reading this, don't worry, it's coming I promise. Technically this chapter is the last chapter I posted, but to shake off old chapter and get the new edit out, I reposted it. I hope the improvement do make you enjoy the story more.
> 
> OH! One more thing. Please check out the fan art done for this story by kraken-in-the-bottle, they are lovely pieces and where done forever ago and I'm terrible for not mentioning them before, though to be fair I haven't posted an official new chapter since they were done (though this one isn't officially an new chapter either, it's actual story not me being annoying, which I think is what the artist deserves.) Anyway, kraken-in-the-bottle.tumblr.com or search "ramenkitsune" on tumblr and you'll find them. Please like and reblogged them cause they are truly wonderful and I can't express my love and gratefulness that there is fan art for this story enough. Sincerely thank you!!!!!! And thank everyone who is going to read, or reread, this. Your praises and wishes for more are truly appreiated and I am so happy to know you all are happy, cause that's why I write fanfiction. :) 
> 
> Okay, I'm done rattling off. Enjoy

Makoto leaned heavily against the window seal of Rin's bedroom, watching the moon and the distant sea. The ocean, which normally filled Makoto with dread and closed his throat with terror at times, was strangely soothing with its push and pull from the moon. As long as the water continued to creep over the shore, Haru was alright, or at least that was what Makoto had to tell himself to keep from going mad with worry. His right hand was still sore from punching his friends, something he did regret, though it was a white noise in his busy brain that continued to hum and yell of every terror and fear he had for Haru. Fears that continued to grow as a small sense of pain started to form in his body, starting at Makoto's left hip and spreading down his leg to stop at his knee. 

"Makoto." Rin said from his bed, though his voice didn't sound like he had been sleeping. "You should rest. Gou is going to be here in a few hours." 

"I'm fine." Makoto said, though his voice gave away that he wasn’t, and even if it hadn’t, Rin couldn’t have believed such an obvious lie. He heard Rin sigh and guessed that was the end of it, until he felt a hand on his back.

"Then how about some coffee, I can't sleep either." Rin said, rubbing the spot on right between his shoulder blades. Makoto gave a small nod, and Rin's hand moved slowly from his back, lingering a moment over the spot where Makoto's left wing disappeared under hours before in Rei's apartment, before pulling away completely and left the room. Makoto's green eyes lingered on the ocean a moment longer then they darted to the sky, at the stars that seemed to sparkle less. He could feel their panic as well, unable to watch over their Nagisa like Makoto couldn't watch Haru. Absently Makoto wondered if this was what Haru always felt like before Makoto died, and he had to push the thought away before it took on a life of its own, a life involving empty blue eyes and hands cold as ice. He pried himself away from the glass and moved to Rin's living room. His red haired friend was busy in the kitchenette making a pot of coffee that he suggested a moment ago, and Makoto noticed the frown on his face.

The phoenix knew Rin was worried about his friends, and honestly if it wasn't for Rin, and Sousuke as well, Makoto would have lost his mind already. The panic and blind rage he felt when he returned home that night was suffocating. Even now, after making a plan to follow Rei with Gou's backup, if Rin hadn't offered his house as a place to stay, Makoto wasn’t sure he'd be able to make it through the night. 

Makoto took a seat at the dining table, his hands once more finding their way into his hair as his eyes focused on the grain design of the wood.

"We'll recue them." Rin said and Makoto jumped slightly at how close the male was. Rin's hand was once more on his back, rubbing comforting circles. "We'll recue them before anything happens." 

"They are already hurting Haru." Makoto said meekly, and Rin's hand hesitated. "I...I feel it, a dulled version at least." Rin said nothing, and Makoto didn't blame him for it. What could he say? They were silent until Rin pulled back, and Makoto heard him pull the cups from the counter.

"How would you like your coffee?" Rin asked and Makoto sat up straighter. "I have milk and sugar, so whatever you'd like."

"Black is fine." Makoto answered, and Rin nodded as he poured two mugs worth and brought them over. Rin took a seat close to Makoto, and his presence was comforting in a way, to know he wasn't as alone as he felt. 

"We'll recue them Makoto." Rin said again, and Makoto looked at him. Rin looked serious, and Makoto felt no other choice than to believe him. For the third time that night Rin rubbed a comforting circle on Makoto's back.

"I should have been there." The words had been circling his mind endlessly, but in the silence with nothing else to force them down, Makoto finally said them. Rin sighed, his hand never faltering. Makoto was sure the man wouldn't argue with him until he started to speak.

"Do you honestly think it would have changed the outcome? Instead of just two friends, I'd have to recue three. Anyway Haru wouldn't want you to be there." Rin said, and their eyes met. "You can't blame yourself for this, Makoto. You had no way of knowing... And either did Rei. You two are going to try and get them out of there. That’s all you can do." 

Makoto wanted to say something, anything to make himself feel less hopelessly helpless, but there was nothing he could say. He just had to wait until they could follow Rei. Rin didn't speak again, and the silence was deafening to Makoto, though he didn't want to break it. The pain in his leg throbbed and Makoto touched the silver band that he wore on his left ring finger.

XxXxXx

The trip was long, and the only solace Makoto had was they were there now, watching as Rei and his brother stopped at the door. The building was long, though it looked like it was only one story, though it could have deeper levels. Makoto hoped that wasn’t the case, because the more it had, the harder it would be to find Haru and Nagisa, and the harder it would be not to get caught.

"There is a code." Sousuke said, and Rin nodded. Makoto caught him glance over at him. 

"That's okay, Gou's team will be here soon." Rin said. Makoto wasn’t sure he could wait that long, not with the knowledge they were still hurting Haru, and he had no clue what they were doing to Nagisa.

"I can get us in before that." The large man said, his voice calm as he met Makoto’s eyes. Sousuke must have known all the feelings Makoto was suffering, but Makoto couldn’t help but be surprised at the offer "Rin and I have guns, we'll be your back up."

"Sousuke don't..." Rin started, but whatever he was going to say was cut short by Makoto.

"Haru is hurting, if you're willing to go now I'm in." Makoto's voice was serious, and Rin, after a sigh, nodded. 

"Then listen to me. We have to be quiet and careful. I'm sure a place like this is full of alarms and if we're caught... Makoto you realize what you're risking, But.... We don’t know what they will do to Sousuke and I." Rin looked nervous, but also torn. Rin had always been a good friend, and always looked out for those he cared about. "Let me call Gou before we barge in there, they may be closer than we hope."

"Regardless of how close, Haru's hurting..." Makoto said, his voice becoming desperate. He had no idea what was happening to the merman, but the pain was spreading down past his knee to his ankle. Rin sighed, and pulled out his phone and sent a short text. 

"Alright, I told her to hurry. Let's go." And with that, they moved towards the door. Makoto didn't care to see how Sousuke planned to break in, but he did see a key go into the number panel before he heard the latch on the door give. They moved silently through the hallways that were too white and clean for Makoto to feel comfort in them. The smell was steral and nauseating, but that didn’t didn’t make them hesitate. Makoto was drawn by a pull in his chest that would lead him to Haru, so he took the lead. They took a turn, and then another, adventuring deeper into the large compound. There were doors to each side, and once and a while Makoto peered inside. Most of the rooms were empty, save the operating equipment, but some had different creatures or people that Makoto could only guess what they were. They'd be rescued in time, but for now, Makoto could do nothing for them.

"Where did Sousuke go?" Rin hissed, gripping Makoto's arm and forcing him to halt. Makoto turned, but there was no sign of their tall friend. 

"Go find him. I'll get Haru." Makoto said, and he saw the torn look on Rin's face. "If he's found, we don't know what will happen. They might shoot him." Makoto added, and that was enough to make Rin decide. 

"Be careful..." Rin said, hesitating a moment more before he began to backtrack through the hall. Makoto didn't linger to watch him go. 

Makoto paused at a door, knowing Haru was just inside by the feeling in his heart, but could see there were people moving around, holding different tools. Makoto was somewhat pleased their backs were to the door as he carefully turned the knob. The latch relented and he slipped into the room without turning a single head.

"His scales are like nothing I've ever seen." Said a woman, her face covered by a mask. "It's like... They have fire within them." 

"Is ever sample we've taken like this?" A man asked, leaning over the thing the woman held to examine it closer.

"Yes, we've taken twenty-three from his upper tail and thirty closer to his fin, and they all seem to be this way." The woman answered. Makoto knew they meant Haru's scales at this point, and his hand balled into a fist. To take so many would harm Haru tremendously, and they had done it ruthlessly, with no regard for Haru. 

"Let’s cut him open then, maybe he's a different breed entirely." The man said, and that was all Makoto could stomach. He grabbed a fire extinguisher that was on the wall and slammed it into the back of the woman's head. The man yelled, but it wasn't enough as Makoto repeated the action to the side of the man's head, rendering him unconscious. He looked up then to see a glass box with Haru inside, his blue eyes staring at him and Makoto knew instantly there was something wrong with Haru, his eyes seemed unfocused and he didn't seem to recognize who he was. He moved quickly to the container and reached inside, pulling Haru to the surface. The merman struggled at first, though it was weak, Makoto could feel how scared Haru was.

"Shh, Haru it's me... Shhh, it’s me." Makoto said, his voice soft as he wrapped one arm around the man's shoulders, his other hand stroking Haru's face tenderly. Haru looked at him again, a small whimper leaving him. "That's right, it's me." Makoto said as relief washed over him that Haru was calmer. Haru's webbed fingers moved to grip Makoto's wrist, his body shaking. Makoto looked down at Haru's tail and saw the raw patches where they had pulled the scales free, leaving the tail with open, bleeding, wounds that stung in the water. It made Makoto’s stomach turn with how grotesque the woulds were. 

"What did they do to you, Haru." Makoto whispered, feeling a knot form at the back of his throat that was a tell-tell sign that he was about to cry. He forced himself to focus, however, as he pulled Haru from the water, not caring that it now seeped into his clothes and pooled on the floor. "We have to get you out of here. I'm going to get you clothes. Just don't move." Makoto whispered and kissed the top of Haru's head as he sat him on the floor, taking care to leave the raw injury was up. He quickly bound the two who he'd attacked up, not really expecting them to go anywhere but also didn't want to take a chance. He looked around the room and found a lab coat and grabbed it, figuring it would be enough for Haru. When he returned to the man's side, his fin was already splitting into two legs, the left leg looking just as damaged as the fin had moments before. Standing once more, Makoto looked for bandages, and found white cotton and gauze under a counter. He quickly tended to the wound, his hands using a skill he never realized he had, and then he put the coat on Haru. 

"Makoto..." Haru whimpered and he tried to sit up. "Makoto..."

"Shh Haru. It's alright." Makoto said, his hand once more finding Haru's cheek. He frowned when he noticed Haru's heavy breathing. "Haru I'm here with you, you're safe now. Breathe."

"You shouldn't be here... They'll... they'll." before Haru could continue a loud siren went off over head and Haru winced. Makoto pulled him into his arms and stood. He didn't know what triggered the alarms, but whatever it was would make it harder to get out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be actual new content!!!!


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